Alacrity 1886
| 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 |
|
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 |
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.
Alacrity
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-09