NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Alacrity

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Surprise, 1914- Alacrity		539	Palmer, Jarrow	14.2.1884	17.1.1885	8.1886	sold 1919
Alacrity		540	Palmer, Jarrow	14.2.1884	28.2.1885	8.1886	sold 9.1913

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	Surprise: 1650 Alacrity: 1700
Displacement full, t
Length, m	76.2 pp 83.9 oa
Breadth, m	9.91
Draught, m	3.96
No of shafts	2
Machinery	sails + 2 2-cyl HC, direct action, 4 cylindrical boilers
Power, h. p.	natural draught: 2000 forced draught: 3030
Max speed, kts	natural draught: 16 forced draught: 17
Fuel, t	coal 400
Endurance, nm(kts)	6450(10)
Armour, mm	steel; deck: 10
Armament	4 x 1 - 127/25 BL Mk I/II/III/IV, 4 x 1 - 57/40 6pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 2 x 1 - 11.4/78
Complement	93

Graphics

Project history

Surprise and Alacrity were laid down as unarmed despatch vessels but in 1885 it was decided to provide them with guns so they could be employed as fleet scouts in wartime. They were similar in design to the contemporary Scout class torpedo cruisers, with the same arrangement of machinery, protection and sub-divisions, bur were of finer form and had elaborate passenger accommodation (for diplomats, high ranking officers, etc). On trials Alacrity made 18kts with 3180ihp and Surprise 17.85kts with 3018ihp.

Ship protection

A protective deck of 10mm steel over the machinery.

Modernizations

late 1890s, Alacrity: - 4 x 1 - 127/25, 2 x 1 - 11.4/78; + 6 x 1 - 57/40 6pdr Hotchkiss Mk I

Naval service

Both had lengthy careers and were always classed as despatch vessels. Surprise was renamed Alacrity when her sister was sold in 1913.

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