NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Marathon as built

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Magicienne		328	Elder, Govan	10.8.1887	12.5.1888	11.2.1889	sold 7.1905
Medea			Chatham DYd	25.4.1887	9.6.1888	5.1889	sold 4.1914
Medusa			Chatham DYd	25.8.1887	11.8.1888	6.1889	hulk 1910
Marathon		329	Elder, Govan	10.8.1887	23.8.1888	7.1889	sold to BU 8.1905
Melpomene			Portsmouth DYd	10.10.1887	20.9.1888	7.1889	sold to BU 8.1905

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	Medea, Medusa: 2800 Magicienne, Marathon, Melpomene: 2950
Displacement full, t
Length, m	80.8 pp
Breadth, m	Medea, Medusa: 12.5 Magicienne, Marathon, Melpomene: 12.8
Draught, m	5.03
No of shafts	2
Machinery	Medea, Medusa: 2 VC, 6 cylindrical boilers Magicienne, Marathon, Melpomene: 2 HC, direct action, 6 cylindrical boilers
Power, h. p.	forced draught: 9000
Max speed, kts	Medea, Medusa: 20 Magicienne, Marathon, Melpomene: 19.7
Fuel, t	coal 400
Endurance, nm(kts)	8000(10)
Armour, mm	steel; deck: 51-25, gunshields: 114, CT: 76
Armament	6 x 1 - 152/26 BL Mk IV/VI, 9 x 1 - 57/40 6pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 1 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 3 x 1 - 11.9/78, 2 - 356 TT (1 bow, 1 aft), 2 - 356 TC
Complement	218

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

Provided under the 1886/87 Programme, these ships were reduced editions of the Mersey class and were inferior to those ships in all respects. They were reclassified third class cruisers while building. White design. Three of the class, Melpomene, Magicienne and Marathon, were sheathed in wood and copper for tropical service which increased the beam by 0.3m, added 150t to the displacement and reduced the designed speed by 0.25kt. They also differed from the unsheathed pair in having horizontal engines. The wood insulated the copper from the steel to prevent rapid electrolitic deacy, whilst the copper sheathing prevented rapid fouling in tropical waters. Within the next few years improved anti-fouling paints would reduce the need for so cumbersome an expedient. Three 152mm guns, mounted on sponsons, were fitted on each side, one on the forecastle, one amidships on the upper deck and one on the poop. Eight of the 57mm QF guns were mourned on the upper deck, 4 amidships, 2 forward and 2 aft and the ninth on the centreline at the after end of the poop. They did not achieve their designed speeds on trials, averaging 19kts, and proved poor steamers in service particularly in a seaway. An open upper deck amidships with low bulwarks made them very wet and they proved to be bad sea boats. They were fitted with a turtle back forecastle and the forward 6in guns were provided with a low breakwater indicating that the designers expected them to be wet ships. They also suffered from cramped accommodation and insufficient space in the boiler rooms for efficient stoking, and it was generally concluded that all their troubles resulted from their small size.

Ship protection

 The protective deck was 25mm on the flat and 51mm on the slope, the flat being 0.3m above the load line and the outer edge of the slope 1.5m below.

Modernizations

1890s, all: - 6 x 1 - 152/26; + 6 x 1 - 152/26 QFC Mk I/IV / I/VI / II/IV / II/VI / III/IV / III/VI

Naval service

Medea was laid up awaiting disposal in 1906, but recommissioned in April 1909 and paid off in 1913. Medusa was laid up out of commission in 1906 but was commissioned again as harbour hulk in 1910, used as calibrating vessel in 1914-1918, sold in 1920 and resold in October 1921.

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