Highflyer-class cruiser

The Highflyer-class cruisers were a group of three second-class protected cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the late 1890s.

HMS Highflyer
Class overview
Name	Highflyer
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	Pelorus class
Succeeded by	Challenger class
Built	1897–1900
In service	1899–1921
Completed	3
Lost	1
Scrapped	2
General characteristics
Type	Protected cruiser
Displacement	5,600 long tons (5,690 t)
Length	350 ft (106.7 m) (p/p, 372 ft (113.4 m) (o/a)
Beam	54 ft (16.5 m)
Draught	21 ft 6 in (6.6 m)
Installed power	10,000 ihp (7,460 kW) 18 × Belleville boilers
Propulsion	2 × shafts 2 × Vertical triple-expansion steam engines
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement	450
Armament	11 × single QF 6-inch (152.4 mm) guns 9 × single QF 12-pounder 12 cwt (3-inch, 76.2 mm) guns[Note 1] 6 × single 3-pounder (47 mm) quick firing guns 2 × single 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour	Deck: 1.5–3 in (38–76 mm) Gun shields: 3 in (76 mm) Conning tower: 6 in (152 mm)

Design and description

The two 6-inch guns on Hermes's quarterdeck

The Highflyer-class cruisers were essentially repeats of the previous Eclipse class, albeit with a more powerful armament and propulsion machinery. They were designed to displace 5,650 long tons (5,740 t). The ships had an overall length of 372 feet (113.4 m), a beam of 54 feet (16.5 m)^[1] and a draught of 21 feet 6 inches (6.6 m). Their crew consisted of 470 officers and other ranks.^[2]

The ships were powered by two 4-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by 18 Belleville boilers, which were lighter and more powerful than the cylindrical boilers used by the Eclipses. The engines were designed to produce a total of 10,000 indicated horsepower (7,500 kW) which was intended to give a maximum speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). The ships easily exceeded their designed power and speeds during their sea trials.^[1] They carried a maximum of 1,125 long tons (1,143 t) of coal.^[2]

The main armament of the Highflyer class consisted of 11 quick-firing (QF) 6-inch (152 mm) Mk I guns.^[3] One gun was mounted on the forecastle and two others were positioned on the quarterdeck. The remaining eight guns were placed port and starboard amidships.^[4] They had a maximum range of approximately 10,000 yards (9,100 m) with their 100-pound (45 kg) shells.^[5] Eight QF 12-pounder 12 cwt guns were fitted for defence against torpedo boats. One additional 12-pounder 8 cwt gun could be dismounted for service ashore.^[2] They also carried six 3-pounder Hotchkiss guns and two submerged 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes.^[1]

The ships' protective deck armour ranged in thickness from 1.5 to 3 inches (38 to 76 mm). The engine hatches were protected by 5-inch (127 mm) of armour. The main guns were fitted with 3-inch gun shields and the conning tower had armour 6 inches thick.^[1]

Ships

• HMS Highflyer - launched on 4 June 1898, she served on numerous stations and hunted commerce raiders. She was sold for scrapping 10 June 1921, by then the last Victorian era cruiser in service with the Royal Navy.
• HMS Hermes - launched on 7 April 1898, she was converted to a seaplane carrier in 1913, and sunk on 31 October 1914 by U 27
• HMS Hyacinth - launched on 27 October 1898, she served on southern stations in the First World War, and assisted in the blockade of SMS Königsberg. She was sold for scrapping on 11 October 1923.

Notes

1. "Cwt" is the abbreviation for hundredweight, 20 cwt referring to the weight of the gun.