HMS Flora (1893)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Flora.

HMS Flora was an Astraea-class cruiser of the Royal Navy launched on 21 November 1893.^[2] She was constructed under the Naval Defence Act 1889 along with several other Astraea-class cruisers.^[3] Flora was decommissioned in 1922.

HMS Flora
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Flora
Builder	Pembroke Dock
Launched	21 November 1893
Commissioned	24 July 1895[1]
Decommissioned	March 1922
Renamed	TS Indus II in April 1915
Fate	Sold 12 December 1922 for breaking up in Dover
General characteristics
Class & type	Astraea-class cruiser
Displacement	4,360 long tons (4,430 t) fully loaded
Length	320 ft (98 m)
Beam	49 ft 6 in (15.09 m)
Draught	19 ft (5.8 m)
Propulsion	2 shaft, 3 cycle TE, 8 cylinder boilers 7,500 hp (5,600 kW) natural draught; 9,500 hp (7,100 kW) forced draught Coal 1000 tons maximum load
Speed	18 knots (33 km/h) natural draught 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h) forced draught
Range	7,000 nmi (13,000 km)
Complement	44
Armament	2 × QF 6 in (152 mm) guns 8 × QF 4.7 in (120 mm) guns 1 × 3 pdr (47 mm) quick firing gun 4 × 18 in (450 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour	Deck 2 in (51 mm) Conning tower 3 in (76 mm) Gunshields 4.5 in (114 mm) engine hatch 5 in (127 mm)

Operational history

HMS Flora served a commission, under the command of Commodore Robert Leonard Groome and later of Captain Frederick Sidney Pelham, as senior officer′s ship on the South East Coast of America Station until June 1901, when she returned to Devonport to pay off.^[4]

HMS Beagle, Swallow, Basilisk and Flora, unknown artist

HMS "Indus II" at Devonport in October 1915^[5]

She was commissioned at Devonport on 11 November 1902^[6] to relieve HMS Phaeton for service on the Pacific Station.^[7] Leaving Plymouth in late November,^[8] she stopped in Funchal, Saint Vincent, Pernambuco and Montevideo before she arrived at the station early the following year.^[9]

HMS Flora was the subject of a famous salvage operation after running aground in 1903.^[10]

In 1914, just prior to the First World War, Flora was placed on the sale list and remained on harbour service for the majority of the conflict. In April 1915 Flora was renamed TS Indus II. She was sold on 12 December 1922 and was broken up at Dover.