ROYAL NAVY - UNITED KINGDOM

Project history: The 21 ships of this class were provided under the Naval Defence Act of 1889. In design they were enlarged versions of the Medea class with the main armament modified to mixed calibre QF guns only. The two 152mm guns were placed on the centreline of the forecastle and poop and the 120mm were mounted 3 on each side of the upper deck amidships. The 57mm guns were all on the upper deck, 4 being amidships, between the 120mm, and 2 forward and 2 aft firing through embrasured ports for ahead and astern fire. The 120mm guns were not fitted on sponsons and the class were severely criticised for their lack of ahead and astern fire and for lack of gunpower generally in comparison to foreign cruisers of similar type. Two TT were fitted broadside abreast the mainmast on the upper deck and could be trained through an arc of 90°; one was carried in the bow, also on the upper deck; and a stern tube was fitted at main deck level.
    The engines, being vertical instead of horizontal, were mounted side by side and separated from each other by a centreline bulkhead. The after boiler room contained two double-ended boilers while the forward room contained one double-ended and two single-ended boilers. Most of the class achieved the designed speed on trial and they were generally regarded as good steamers, and while several suffered early deterioration of their machinery and consequent loss of speed many others proved capable of achieving their designed speed until late in their careers. Ten of the class were sheathed in wood and copper for tropical service which added 200t to the displacement and resulted in a 0.3kt loss in designed speed.

    Although larger than the Medea class, the Apollos had the same layout with a turtle back forecastle and a low freeboard, and although slightly better than their predecessors, they were wet ships and poor sea boats which would have found great difficulty in fighting their waist guns in a seaway.

Ship protection: The protective deck was 32mm thick on the flat and 51mm on the slope, and the engine cylinders, where they projected above this deck, were protected by a 127mm armoured glacis around the engine room hatch.

Modernizations: (1906-8/1907, Portsmouth DYd), Thetis; (5/1906-6/1908, Portsmouth DYd), Latona; (11/1906-12/1908, Portsmouth DYd), Iphigenia; (1906-8/1909, Chatham DYd), Apollo; (1907-9/1909, Chatham DYd), Andromache; (1907-9/1910), Intrepid; (1907-10/1910, Chatham DYd), Naiad: as minelayers were armed with 4 x 1 - 120/40 QF Mk I/II/III/IV, 100 - 140 mines

Naval service:  During 1906-10 seven ships were converted to minelayers with double sets of mine-tracks running from the break of the forecastle to the poop. The first conversions, Thetis and Iphigenia, are reported to have carried their mines slung from overhead travellers, but this method was found unsuitable and was replaced in them and later conversions by a more conventional double trackway on the deck, allowing the sinkers to be winched aft and rolled off chutes projecting over the stern.
    In 1910 Rainbow was transferred to the RCN.

    Brilliant was laid up for disposal in August 1914 but recommissioned as depot ship. In 1918 she was converted to blockship and scuttled at Ostend 23.4.1918. Intrepid was converted to depot ship in 1916, in 1918 to blockship and scuttled at Zeebrugge 23.4.1918. Iphigenia was converted to depot ship in 1916, to blockship in 1918 and scuttled at Zeebrugge 23.4.1918. Sirius in 1918 was converted to blockship and scuttled at Ostend 23.4.1918. Thetis became depot ship in 1916, converted to blockship in 1918 and scuttled at Zeebtrugge 23.4.1918.

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

Rainbow as built