HMS Northampton (1876)
mizzen during her 1889-1891 refit.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS Northampton |
| Builder | Robert Napier and Sons, Govan |
| Laid down | 26 October 1874 |
| Launched | 18 November 1876 |
| Commissioned | 1881 |
| Reclassified | Training ship, June 1894 |
| Fate | Sold for scrap, 4 April 1905 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | armoured cruiser |
| Displacement | 7,630 long tons (7,750 t) |
| Length | 280 ft (85 m) (p/p) |
| Beam | 60 ft (18 m) |
| Draught | 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m) |
| Propulsion | 2 shafts, 2 compound-expansion steam engines |
| Speed | 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) |
| Complement | 560 |
| Armament |
|
| Armour | Belt: 6–9 in (152–229 mm) |
HMS Northampton was a
Design and description
The Nelson-class ships were designed as enlarged and improved versions of HMS Shannon to counter the threat of enemy armoured ships encountered abroad. The ships had a length between perpendiculars of 280 feet (85.3 m), a beam of 60 feet (18.3 m) and a deep draught of 25 feet 9 inches (7.8 m). Northampton displaced 7,630 long tons (7,750 t), about 2,000 long tons (2,000 t) more than Shannon. The steel-hulled ships were fitted with a ram and their crew numbered approximately 560 officers and other ranks.[1]
The ship had two 3-cylinder, inverted compound steam engines, each driving a single propeller, using steam provided by 10 oval boilers. The cylinders of the Northampton's engines could be adjusted in volume to optimize steam production depending on the demand. They were troublesome throughout the ship's life and she was always about 1 knot (1.9 km/h; 1.2 mph) slower than her sister despite repeated efforts to improve her speed. The engines produced 6,073 indicated horsepower (4,529 kW) and she failed achieve her designed speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) on her sea trials, only making 13.17 knots (24.39 km/h; 15.16 mph). The Nelson-class ships carried a maximum of 1,150 long tons (1,170 t) of coal which gave them an economical range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at a speed of 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph). They were barque-rigged with three masts.[2]
Construction and career
Northampton, named after the
Northampton was flagship of the North America and West Indies Station until she was placed in reserve in 1886.[4] She was hulked as a boys' training ship in 1894 and used in home waters.
Captain Herbert Arthur Walton Onslow was in command from July 1897 to February 1902. After a refit in late 1899, she left in March 1900 for an extended recruiting cruise until August that year, visiting
Notes
- ^ Parkes, p. 239
- ^ Parkes, pp. 239, 243
- ^ Silverstone, p. 254
- ^ a b Lyon & Winfield, p. 268
- ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36091. London. 16 March 1900. p. 6.
- ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36613. London. 15 November 1901. p. 4.
- ^ "Naval Review at Spithead". The Times. No. 36847. London. 15 August 1902. p. 5.
- ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36903. London. 20 October 1902. p. 8.
References
- Chesneau, Roger & Kolesnik, Eugene M., eds. (1979). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-8317-0302-4.
- Friedman, Norman (2012). British Cruisers of the Victorian Era. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-59114-068-9.
- Lyon, David & Winfield, Rif (2004). The Sail & Steam Navy List. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 1-86176-032-9.
- Parkes, Oscar (1990). British Battleships (reprint of the 1957 ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-075-4.
- Silverstone, Paul H. (1984). Directory of the World's Capital Ships. New York: Hippocrene Books. ISBN 0-88254-979-0.
External links
Media related to HMS Northampton (ship, 1876) at Wikimedia Commons- Shipping Times: Clydebuilt Database
- Pictures of HMS Northampton
