NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Swiftsure as barque-rigged

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Swiftsure		240	Palmer, Jarrow	31.8.1868	15.6.1870	27.6.1872	stores hulk 1901
Triumph		241	Palmer, Jarrow	31.8.1868	27.9.1870	8.4.1873	depot ship 1900

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	Swiftsure: 6910 Triumph: 6640
Displacement full, t
Length, m	85.3 pp
Breadth, m	16.8
Draught, m	7.62
No of shafts	1 (hoisting)
Machinery	sails + 1 2-cyl HSE return connection rod, 6 rectangular boilers
Power, h. p.	Swiftsure: 4910 Triumph: 4890
Max speed, kts	Swiftsure: 13.7 Triumph: 14.1
Fuel, t	Swiftsure: coal 540 Triumph: coal 550
Endurance, nm(kts)	Swiftsure: 1640(10) Triumph: 1680(10)
Armour, mm	iron; belt: 203 - 152 with 254 - 203mm wood backing, battery: 152, bulkheads: 127 - 102
Armament	10 x 1 - 229/14 MLR Mk IV, 4 x 1 - 160/16 64pdr 71cwt MLR, 6 x 1 - 100/21 20pdr 16cwt BL (saluting)
Complement	450

Graphics

Project history

Modified Audacious class with a deeper draught, single screw and higher level of stability, designed for service in the Pacific where good sailing and steaming qualities were required. The armour, guns and general layout were identical to Audacious. These were the first British capital ships to be sheathed in wood and copper following the discovery that iron hulls fouled more quickly than wood. Wood-copper sheathing increased displacement of Swiftsure by about 900t and Triumph by 630t.

Ships were ship-rigged with sail area of 3060m2 and additionally 840m2 of stunsails. They were good, fast, handy and steady sailers and they were the last British ships with lifting screws.

Ship protection

Ships had a narrow 2.4m-high waterline belt 203mm amidships and 152mm at the ends. The central battery on the main deck was 18m long with 152mm sides, 127mm fwd and 102mm aft bulkheads. The upper battery on the upper deck had 152mm armoured sides and corners only.

Modernizations

(1879-1881, Devonport DYd), Swiftsure: was re-rigged as a barque with 2120m2 of sail area; - 4 x 1 - 160/16; + 8 x 1 - 102/27 BL Mk II/III/IV/V/VI, 4 - 356 TC

(1882-1884, Portsmouth DYd), Triumph: was re-boilered with cylindrical boilers, re-rigged as a barque with 2120m2 of sail area; - 4 x 1 - 160/16; + 4 x 1 - 127/25 BL Mk I/II/III/IV/V, 8 x 1 - 57/40 Hotchkiss QF Mk I, 8 x 1 - 47/40 Hotchkiss QF Mk I, 4 - 356 TC

1886, Swiftsure: was reboilered with cylindrical boilers; + 4 x 1 - 57/40 Hotchkiss QF Mk I, 4 x 1 - 47/40 Hotchkiss QF Mk I

Naval service

Swiftsure was hulked in 1901, renamed Orontes in March 1904 and sold for BU in July 1908. Triumph was converted to depot ship in 1900, renamed Tenedos in April 1904 and later used as training ship. In 1912 she was renamed Indus IV, in January 1915 Algiers and sold for BU 7.1.1921.

Thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.