NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Cyclops  

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Cyclops			Thames Iron Wks, Blackwall	10.9.1870	18.7.1871	4.5.1877	sold to BU 7.1903
Hecate			Dudgeon, Poplar	5.9.1870	30.9.1871	24.5.1877	sold to BU 5.1903
Gorgon		270	Palmers, Jarrow	5.9.1870	14.10.1871	19.3.1874	sold to BU 5.1903
Hydra		136	Elder, Govan	5.9.1870	28.12.1871	31.5.1876	sold to BU 7.1903

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	3480
Displacement full, t
Length, m	68.6 pp
Breadth, m	13.7
Draught, m	4.95
No of shafts	2
Machinery	Gorgon, Hecate: 2 2-cyl IHSE direct-acting, boilers Hydra, Cyclops: 2 2-cyl IVC, boilers
Power, h. p.	Gorgon: 1670 Hydra: 1470 Cyclops: 1660 Hecate: 1755
Max speed, kts	Gorgon, Cyclops: 11 Hydra: 11.2 Hecate: 10.9
Fuel, t	Gorgon, Hecate: coal 270 Hydra, Cyclops: coal 250
Endurance, nm(kts)	Gorgon, Hecate: 1230(10) Hydra, Cyclops: 1920(10)
Armour, mm	iron; belt: 203 - 152 with 279 - 229 mm wood backing, breastwork: 229 - 203, turrets: 254 - 229, decks: 38, CT: 229 - 203
Armament	2 x 2 - 254/15 MLR Mk I/II
Complement	150

Graphics

Project history

Repeats of Cerberus class coast defence ships with minor modifications, these ships were ordered during the war scare of 1870. They were delivered from the builders to Royal dockyards in 1872 for final fitting out and, as the war scare had subsided, were completed at a leisurely pace.

Ship protection

The hull was protected by 203mm belt reducing to 152mm at the ends, and the turrets were raised on a central armoured breastwork 229mm at the ends and 203mm amidships. The breastwork served to keep the turrets, hatchways, vents and funnels, comparatively clear of the water, making the ships more practical in a seaway the the low freeboard contemporary ships of the US Navy. Turrets had 254mm faces and 229mm walls.

Modernizations

(1885-1889), all: breastwork was extended to the sides with light plating to improve stability and seakeeping, displacement was 3560t; + 4 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 5 MGs

Naval service

No significant events.

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