NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Cumberland as built

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Kent	P27, P80, P99		Portsmouth DYd	12.2.1900	6.3.1901	1.10.1903	sold 6.1920
Essex	51, 62	236	Pembroke DYd	1.1.1900	29.8.1901	22.3.1904	sold 11.1921
Bedford		414	Fairfield, Govan	19.2.1900	31.8.1901	11.11.1903	wrecked 21.8.1910
Monmouth	D28	304	London & Glasgow, Glasgow	29.8.1899	13.11.1901	2.12.1903	sunk 1.11.1914
Lancaster	71, 78	714	Armstrong, Elswick	4.3.1901	22.3.1902	5.4.1904	sold 3.1920
Donegal	9C, 55	417	Fairfield, Govan	14.2.1901	4.9.1902	5.11.1903	sold 7.1920
Berwick	36, P74, P08	474	Beardmore, Dalmuir	19.4.1901	20.9.1902	9.12.1903	sold 7.1920
Cornwall	D31, P04, P84	237	Pembroke DYd	11.3.1901	29.10.1902	1.12.1904	TS 1919, sold 6.1920
Cumberland	D37, P76, P86	312	London & Glasgow, Glasgow	19.2.1901	16.12.1902	1.12.1904	sold 5.1921
Suffolk	20, P87, PA5		Portsmouth DYd	25.3.1901	15.1.1903	21.5.1904	TS 1919, sold 7.1920

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	9800
Displacement full, t
Length, m	134.1 pp 141.3 oa
Breadth, m	20.1
Draught, m	7.62
No of shafts	2
Machinery	Kent, Essex, Bedford, Monmouth, Lancaster, Donegal, Cumberland: 2 4-cyl VTE, 31 Belleville boilers Berwick, Suffolk: 2 4-cyl VTE, 31 Niclausse boilers Cornwall: 2 4-cyl VTE, 31 Babcock boilers
Power, h. p.	22000
Max speed, kts	23
Fuel, t	coal 1600
Endurance, nm(kts)	2740(24)
Armour, mm	belt: 102 - 51, bulkhead: 127, decks: 51 - 19, turrets: 127, barbettes: 127, casemates: 102 - 51, ammunition hoists: 51, CT: 254
Armament	2 x 2 - 152/45 BL Mk VIII, 10 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk VII, 10 x 1 - 76/40 12pdr 12cwt QF Mk I, 3 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 2 - 450 TT (sub, beam)
Complement	678

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

The Monmouth class was built in answer to a general increase in armoured cruiser construction in foreign navies, Kent and Essex being provided under a supplementary estimate to the 1898/99 Programme, Bedford and Monmouth under the 1899/1900 Programme and the remainder under the 1900/01 Programme. The ships represented an attempt to provide first class cruisers of equal speed to the Drake class but of smaller size so that they would be cheaper to build and operate, more economic on manpower and could be built in larger numbers. This object was achieved by substantial reductions in both armour and armament, enabling the displacement to be bought down to 9800t. However they were heavily criticised for these reductions in fighting power and were regarded by many as second rate ships which could not adequately fulfil the functions for which they had been designed.     Four of the 152mm guns were mounted in twin turrets on the forecastle and quarterdeck while the remainder were mounted in two-storey casemates abreast the fore- and mainmasts and in single casemates on each side amidships. The turrets were electrically operated and promised to be one of the best features of the design but the electrical gear proved to be unreliable, the gunhouses too cramped for efficient operation and the guns difficult to align due to their being fitted in a single cradle.     All exceeded the designed power on trials, but three, Essex, Monmouth and Kent were accepted at slightly less than the design speed. Lancaster and Suffolk, however, made 24 and 24.7kts respectively at full power, while the remainder averaged 23.6kts. In general they were good steamers and seaboats but they had very fine lines fore and aft which, combined with the weight of the turrets, tended to cause heavy pitching in rough weather.

Ship protection

The arrangement of armour was the same as that in Cressy but of generally reduced thickness. The main 102mm belt was 73.8m long by 3.5m deep amidships and was continued to the stem by 51mm thick side armour. The protective deck was 64mm thick abaft the armoured bulkhead and 19mm for the length of the belt, while the main deck was 32mm for the length of the belt.

Modernizations

1917, Berwick, Cornwall, Essex, Kent, Lancaster: - 6 x 1 - 152/45 (in lower casemates); + 4 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk VII (in shields on the shelter deck)

Naval service

Bedford wrecked at Quelpart Island in the China Sea 21.8.1910, wreck was sold for BU in October. Cornwall and Suffolk served as Cadets` TSs from 1919 until paid off for disposal. Donegal collided with merchant ship off Gibraltar in December 1909 but repaired.

Monmouth was sunk by German cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau 1.11.1914 off Coronel.

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