NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Rainbow as built

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate	Modification
Latona	P51, N49, N67	175	Naval Construction & Armaments, Barrow	22.8.1889	22.5.1890	4.1891	minelayer 6.1908, depot ship 1917	unsheathed ships
Melampus		176	Naval Construction & Armaments, Barrow	30.8.1889	2.8.1890	12.1891	sold 5.1911	unsheathed ships
Andromache	N22, N03		Chatham DYd	29.4.1889	14.8.1890	12.1891	minelayer 9.1909, depot ship 1.1918	unsheathed ships
Terpsichore		247	Thompson, Glasgow	27.8.1889	30.10.1890	4.1892	sold 5.1914	unsheathed ships
Naiad	P52, N71	177	Naval Construction & Armaments, Barrow	3.10.1889	29.11.1890	1.1892	minelayer 10.1910, depot ship 1917	unsheathed ships
Thetis	P85, P0C	248	Thompson, Glasgow	29.10.1889	13.12.1890	4.1892	minelayer 8.1907, depot ship 1916	unsheathed ships
Sybille		17	Stephenson, Newcastle	11.10.1889	27.12.1890	5.1894	wrecked 16.1.1901	unsheathed ships
Apollo	N36, N05		Chatham DYd	27.5.1889	10.2.1891	4.1892	minelayer 8.1909, depot ship 1.1918	unsheathed ships
Tribune		249	Thompson, Glasgow	11.12.1889	24.2.1891	5.1892	sold 5.1911	unsheathed ships
Sappho	P41, PA1		Samuda, Poplar	29.10.1889	9.5.1891	2.1893	tender 4.1912	unsheathed ships
Scylla			Samuda, Poplar	29.10.1889	17.10.1891	4.1893	sold 4.1914	unsheathed ships
Sirius	N20, N94	564	Armstrong, Elswick	7.10.1889	27.10.1890	4.1892	sunk as blockship 23.4.1918	sheathed ships
Pique		644	Palmer, Jarrow	30.10.1889	13.12.1890	3.1893	sold 5.1911	sheathed ships
Spartan		565	Armstrong, Elswick	16.12.1889	25.2.1891	7.1892	accommodation hulk 1906	sheathed ships
Indefatigable, 1.1910- Melpomene		264	London & Glasgow, Glasgow	6.9.1889	12.3.1891	4.1892	sold 5.1914	sheathed ships
Iphigenia	N27, N60	265	London & Glasgow, Glasgow	17.3.1890	19.11.1891	5.1893	minelayer 12.1908, depot ship 1916	sheathed ships
Rainbow (8/1910- RCN)		645	Palmer, Jarrow	30.12.1889	25.3.1891	1.1893	depot ship 1914	sheathed ships
Intrepid	N30, N59, N21	266	London & Glasgow, Glasgow	6.9.1889	20.6.1891	11.1892	minelayer 9.1910, depot ship 1916	sheathed ships
Brilliant	N16, N14		Sheerness DYd	24.3.1890	24.6.1891	4.1893	depot ship 8.1914	sheathed ships
Retribution		646	Palmer, Jarrow	31.1.1890	6.8.1891	5.1893	sold 4.1911	sheathed ships
Aeolus			Devonport DYd	10.3.1890	13.11.1891	6.1.1894	sold 5.1914	sheathed ships

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	unsheathed: 3400 sheathed: 3600
Displacement full, t
Length, m	91.4 pp 95.7 oa
Breadth, m	unsheathed: 13.1 sheathed: 13.3
Draught, m	unsheathed: 5.33 sheathed: 5.64
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 3-cyl VTE, 3 double-ended and 2 single-ended cylindrical boilers
Power, h. p.	natural draught: 7000 forced draught: 9000
Max speed, kts	unsheathed ships - natural draught: 18.5, forced draught: 20 sheathed ships - natural draught: 18.5, forced draught: 19.7
Fuel, t	coal 535
Endurance, nm(kts)	8000(10)
Armour, mm	steel; deck: 51 - 32, gunshields: 114, engine hatch: 127, CT: 76
Armament	2 x 1 - 152/40 QF Mk I/II, 6 x 1 - 120/40 QF Mk I/II/III/IV, 8 x 1 - 57/40 6pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 1 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 4 x 1 - 11.4/87, 4 - 356 TT (aw, 1 bow, 2 beam, 1 aft)
Complement	273

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

The 21 ships of this class were provided under the Naval Defence Act of 1889. In design they were enlarged versions of the Medea class with the main armament modified to mixed calibre QF guns only. The two 152mm guns were placed on the centreline of the forecastle and poop and the 120mm were mounted 3 on each side of the upper deck amidships. The 57mm guns were all on the upper deck, 4 being amidships, between the 120mm, and 2 forward and 2 aft firing through embrasured ports for ahead and astern fire. The 120mm guns were not fitted on sponsons and the class were severely criticised for their lack of ahead and astern fire and for lack of gunpower generally in comparison to foreign cruisers of similar type. Two TT were fitted broadside abreast the mainmast on the upper deck and could be trained through an arc of 90°; one was carried in the bow, also on the upper deck; and a stern tube was fitted at main deck level.     The engines, being vertical instead of horizontal, were mounted side by side and separated from each other by a centreline bulkhead. The after boiler room contained two double-ended boilers while the forward room contained one double-ended and two single-ended boilers. Most of the class achieved the designed speed on trial and they were generally regarded as good steamers, and while several suffered early deterioration of their machinery and consequent loss of speed many others proved capable of achieving their designed speed until late in their careers. Ten of the class were sheathed in wood and copper for tropical service which added 200t to the displacement and resulted in a 0.3kt loss in designed speed.

Although larger than the Medea class, the Apollos had the same layout with a turtle back forecastle and a low freeboard, and although slightly better than their predecessors, they were wet ships and poor sea boats which would have found great difficulty in fighting their waist guns in a seaway.

Ship protection

The protective deck was 32mm thick on the flat and 51mm on the slope, and the engine cylinders, where they projected above this deck, were protected by a 127mm armoured glacis around the engine room hatch.

Modernizations

(1906-8/1907, Portsmouth DYd), Thetis; (5/1906-6/1908, Portsmouth DYd), Latona; (11/1906-12/1908, Portsmouth DYd), Iphigenia; (1906-8/1909, Chatham DYd), Apollo; (1907-9/1909, Chatham DYd), Andromache; (1907-9/1910), Intrepid; (1907-10/1910, Chatham DYd), Naiad: as minelayers were armed with 4 x 1 - 120/40 QF Mk I/II/III/IV, 100 - 140 mines

Naval service

  During 1906-10 seven ships were converted to minelayers with double sets of mine-tracks running from the break of the forecastle to the poop. The first conversions, Thetis and Iphigenia, are reported to have carried their mines slung from overhead travellers, but this method was found unsuitable and was replaced in them and later conversions by a more conventional double trackway on the deck, allowing the sinkers to be winched aft and rolled off chutes projecting over the stern.     In 1910 Rainbow was transferred to the RCN.

Brilliant was laid up for disposal in August 1914 but recommissioned as depot ship. In 1918 she was converted to blockship and scuttled at Ostend 23.4.1918. Intrepid was converted to depot ship in 1916, in 1918 to blockship and scuttled at Zeebrugge 23.4.1918. Iphigenia was converted to depot ship in 1916, to blockship in 1918 and scuttled at Zeebrugge 23.4.1918. Sirius in 1918 was converted to blockship and scuttled at Ostend 23.4.1918. Thetis became depot ship in 1916, converted to blockship in 1918 and scuttled at Zeebtrugge 23.4.1918.

Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.