 Indefatigable in 1894 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSIndefatigable |
| Builder | London and Glasgow Shipbuilding Company,Glasgow |
| Laid down | 1890 |
| Launched | 12 March 1891 |
| Commissioned | 1892 |
| Renamed | HMSMelpomene in 1910 |
| Fate | Sold 1913 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Apollo-classcruiser |
| Displacement | 3,400 long tons (3,500 t) |
| Length | 314 ft (95.7 m) |
| Beam | 43 ft (13.1 m) |
| Draught | 17.5 ft (5.3 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 20knots (23 mph; 37 km/h) |
| Complement | 273 to 300 (Officers and Men) |
| Armament |
|
| Armor |
|
HMSIndefatigable, was a second-classApollo-classprotected cruiser of the BritishRoyal Navy. The ship was built by theLondon and Glasgow Shipbuilding Company ofGlasgow between 1890 and 1892, launching on 12 March 1891. In 1910, the ship was renamedHMSMelpomene, and in 1913 was sold for scrap.
TheNaval Defence Act 1889 resulted in orders being placed for 21 second-classprotected cruisers of theApollo-class, together with 8 of the larger and better armed development, theAstraea class. TheApollo-class were an enlarged version of theMarathon-class cruiser built under the 1887–1888 shipbuilding programme. ThreeApollos,Indefatigable,Iphigenia andIntrepid were ordered from theLondon and Glasgow Shipbuilding Company.[1]
Indefatigable was one of 10 ships of the class that were sheathed in wood and copper to reducefouling when serving in tropical waters. She was 314 ft 0 in (95.71 m)long overall and 300 ft (91.44 m)between perpendiculars, with abeam of 43 ft 8 in (13.31 m) and adraught of 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m). Displacement was 3,600 long tons (3,700 t).[1] Five cylindricalfire-tube boilers fed steam to twoTriple-expansion engines rated at 7,000 ihp (5,200 kW) natural draught and 9,000 ihp (6,700 kW) with forced draught. This gave a design speed with forced draught of 18.75 kn (21.6 mph; 34.7 km/h).[1]
An armoured deck of between1+1⁄4 inches (32 mm) and 2 inches (51 mm) protected the ship's magazines and machinery, while the ship'sconning tower had 3 inches (76 mm) of armour and the gunshields4+1⁄2 inches (110 mm). TwoQF 6-inch (152 mm) guns were mounted fore and aft on the ship's centreline, while six 4.7 in (120 mm) guns were mounted three on each broadside. 8 six pounder guns and 1 three pounder provided protection against torpedo boats.[1]
Indefatigable waslaid down asYard number 264 at London and Glasgow'sGovan shipyard in 1890 andlaunched on 12 March 1891 and completed in 1892.[2][1]
From 1899 to 1903,Indefatigable served as part of theNorth America and West Indies Station, being recommissioned atBermuda in January 1900.[3] She was inPort of Spain in late 1902, when in December that year she was ordered to take part in an Anglo-German blockade of the coast ofVenezuela during theVenezuelan crisis of 1902–1903.[4][5]
In 1905,Indefatigable went into reserve atPortsmouth, recommissioning in January 1906 as part of the 4th Cruiser Squadron on the North America and West Indies Station. On 11 January 1910, she was renamedMelpomene, freeing up the nameIndefatigable fora new battlecruiser.[6] In May 1912,Melpomene was active off the coast of Mexico during theMexican Revolution, and was reported to be about to land a force of Marines to protect British subjects.[7][8]
Melpomene was employed in the Training Squadron from 1912 to 1913,[6] and was sold for scrap to the shipbreakers Ward on 7 October 1913,[9][2] at a price of £15,800.[10]
 Royal Navy | |
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 Royal Canadian Navy | |
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