Cyclops-class monitor: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Class of breastwork monitors}}

{|{{Infobox Ship Begin}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}

{{Infobox Ship Image

{{Use British English|date=January 2018}}

|Ship image=[[File:Cyclops class monitor diagrams Brasseys 1888.jpg|300px]]

{|{{Infobox Shipship Beginbegin}}

{{Infobox Shipship Imageimage

|Ship image=[[File:Cyclops class monitor diagrams Brasseys 1888.jpg|300px]]

|Ship caption=Right elevation plan from [[Brassey's Naval Annual]] 1888–1889

}}

{{Infobox Shipship Classclass Overviewoverview

|Name=''Cyclops'' class

|Builders=

|Operators={{navy|UKUnited Kingdom}}

|Class before={{HMS|Rupert|1872|6}}

|Class after={{sclass|Conqueror|ironclad|4}}

|Built range=1870–18771870–1877

|In service range=1874–19011874–1901

|In commission range=

|Total ships planned=4

Line 17 ⟶ 20:

|Total ships scrapped=4

}}

{{Infobox Shipship Characteristicscharacteristics

|Hide header=

|Header caption=

|Ship type=[[Breastwork monitor]]

|Ship displacement={{convert|3480|LT|t|lk=on}}

|Ship length={{convert|225|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} ([[Length between perpendiculars|p/p]])

|Ship beam={{convert|45|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}

|Ship draught={{convert|16|ft|3|in|m|1|abbr=on}} ([[deep load]])

|Ship power={{convert|1472|-|1709|ihp|lk=onin}}

|Ship propulsion=2 shafts, 2 [[Marine steam engine|steam engines]]

|Ship speed={{convert|11|kn|lk=onin}}

|Ship range={{convert|3000|nmi|lk=onin|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|knots|abbr=on}}

|Ship complement=156

|Ship armament=2 × 2 - [[RML 10 inch 18 ton gun|10-inch]] [[(254-mm) rifled muzzle loaderloading guns]]s

|Ship armour=*[[Belt armor|Belt]]: {{convert|6|-|8|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}<br/>
*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{convert|1.5|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}<br/>
*[[Superstructure]]s: {{convert|8|-|9|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}<br/>
*[[Conning tower]]: {{convert|8|-|9|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}<br/>
*[[Gun turret]]: {{convert|9|-|10|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}

|Ship notes=

}}

|}

The '''''Cyclops'' -class monitor''' was a group of four [[ironclad warship|ironclad]] [[breastwork monitor]]s built for the [[Royal Navy]] during the 1870s. They were slightly modified versions of the {{sclass|Cerberus|monitor|3|warship}}s. The ships were ordered to satisfy demands for local defence during the war scare of 1870, but the pace of construction slowed down tremendously as the perceived threat of war declined. The ''Cyclops''-class monitors spendspent most of their careers in [[Wikt:mothball|reserve]] and were finally sold off in 1903.

==Design and description==

The immediate reason why these ships were ordered was for local coast defence during the war scare during the [[Franco-Prussian War]] of 1870, but they were chosen for several other reasons. They were small and cheap, and their shallow draft was thought to limit them to defensive operations, which appealed to economy and defence-minded Members of Parliament. The [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]], however, envisioned them attacking shallow-water ports that larger ironclads could not enter and operating in the shallow waters of the [[Baltic Sea]].<ref>Beeler, pp. 101–02</ref>

The ships were ordered during the war scare of 1870 for local coast defence and they used the basic design of the ''Cerberus''-class breastwork monitors to reduce design and construction time. Their hulls were completed very quickly, but the pace of building reduced as the likelihood of their immediate use diminished. They were delivered to the Royal dockyards in 1872 and commissioned for [[fitting out]], but a number of years elapsed before that process was completed as little sense of urgency remained.<ref name=p12>Parkes, p. 212</ref>

The ships were ordered during the war scare of 1870 for local coast defence and they used the basic design of the ''Cerberus''-class breastwork monitors to reduce design and construction time. Their hulls were completed very quickly, but thebuilding pace of building reduced as the likelihood of their immediate use diminished. They were delivered to the Royal dockyards in 1872 and commissioned for [[fitting out]], but a number of years elapsed before that process was completed, asand there was little sense of urgency remained.<ref name=p12>Parkes, p. 212</ref>

The ships had ana [[length between perpendiculars]] of {{convert|225|ft|m|1}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|45|ft|m|1}}, and a [[draft (ship)|draught]] of {{convert|16|ft|3|in|m}} at [[deep load]]. They displaced {{convert|3480|LT|MT|lk=on}}. Their crew consisted of 156 officers and men.<ref name=p8>Parkes, p. 213</ref>

The ''Cyclops''-class ships and other ships of her type were described by Admiral [[George Alexander Ballard]] as being like "full-armoured knights riding on donkeys, easy to avoid but bad to close with."<ref>Ballard, p. 219</ref> While not unfit to face heavy weather their decks were frequently awash in even a moderate sea. Their accommodations were rated the worst in the fleet, referred to by ordinary seamen as "ratholes with tinned air".<ref>Ballard, pp. 218</ref>

===Propulsion===

The ''Cyclops''-class ships had two steam engines, each driving a single {{convert|12|ft|m|1|adj=on}} propeller. ''Cyclops'' and ''Hydra'' had 4-cylinder [[Marine steam engine#Compound|inverted compound steam engines]] made by John Elder that had a working pressure of {{convert|60|psi|kPa kg/cm2|0|abbr=on|lk=on}}. The engines produced a total of {{convert|1472|-|1528|ihp|lk=onin}} on [[sea trialstrial]]s which gave the ships a maximum speed around {{convert|11|kn|lk=onin}}. The engines used by ''Hecate'' and ''Gorgon'' were built by Ravenhill and were simple horizontal 4-cylinder [[Marine_steam_engineMarine steam engine#Direct_actingDirect acting|direct acting steam engines]]. Their working pressure was {{convert|34|psi|kPa kg/cm2|0|abbr=on}} and they produced a total of {{convert|1579|-|1709|ihp}} for about the same speed. The first pair of ships carried {{convert|250|LT|t}} of coal while the second pair carried {{convert|270|LT|t}}.<ref>Ballard, pp. 246–49</ref> This was enough to steam {{convert|3000|nmi|lk=onin|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|knots|abbr=on}}.<ref>Silverstone, p. 169</ref>

===Armament===

The ships mounted a pair of [[RML 10 inch 18 ton gun|10-inch]] [[rifled muzzle loader|rifled muzzle-loading guns]] in each turret. The shell of the {{convert|10|in|mm|singadj=on|sigfig=3}} gun weighed {{convert|407|lb|kg|1}} while the gun itself weighed {{convert|18|LT|t}}. The gun had a [[muzzle velocity]] of {{convert|1365|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}} and was credited with the ability to penetrate a nominal {{convert|12.9|in|mm|abbr=on}} of [[wrought iron]] armour at {{convertthe [[muzzle (firearms)|100|yd|m}}muzzle]]. The guns could fire both [[Round shot|solid shot]] and [[Shell (projectile)|explosive shells]].<ref>Gardiner, p. 6</ref> They were mounted on compound pivoting carriages that used hydraulic jacks to elevate and depress the guns.<ref name=p12/>

===Armour===

Line 55 ⟶ 64:

==Construction==

Each of the ships was deliveredtowed atto [[HMNB Devonport|DevenportDevonport]] from the builders in 1872. They were commissioned and placed into reserve until finally completed.<ref name=p15>Parkes, p. 215</ref>

{|class="wikitable" border="1" width=98%

Line 87 ⟶ 96:

|-

|{{HMS|Hecate|1871|6}}

|align=center|Dudgeon, [[Poplar,Cubitt LondonTown]], London

|align=center|30 September 1871

|align=center|24 May 1877

Line 93 ⟶ 102:

|-

|{{HMS|Hydra|1871|6}}

|align=center|[[Robert Napier (engineer)|Robertand NapierSons]], [[Govan]]

|align=center|28 December 1871

|align=center|August 1872

Line 102 ⟶ 111:

===Refit===

Although a recommendation had been made while the ships were still under construction to extend the superstructure out to the sides of the ship to improve their stability and habitability, this was not acted upon until they were refitted during the 1880s. This refit also strengthened the breastwork and upper decks, added another watertight [[bulkhead (partition)|bulkhead]] as well as a [[false keel]]. Four [[quick-firing gun|quick-firing]] [[QF 3 pounder Hotchkiss|3-pounder Hotchkiss guns]] were added on the breastwork for [[torpedo boat]] defence as well as five [[machine gun]]s and several searchlights.<ref>Parkes, pp. 212, 214</ref> This increased their crew to approximately 191 men<ref name=p8/> and added {{convert|80|LT|t}} to their displacement.<ref>Gardiner, p. 25</ref>

==Service==

HMS ''Gorgon'' was the first ship completed and she served as tender to [[HMS Windsor Castle (1858)|HMS ''Cambridge'']], the gunnery school ship at Devonport, from 1874 to 1877. All four ships were commissioned between April and August 1878 during the war scare during the [[Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)|Russo-Turkish War]] for service with [[Admiral]] Sir [[Astley Cooper Key|Cooper Key]]'s Particular Service Squadron in [[Portland Harbour]]. She resumed her duties as tender to HMS ''Cambridge'' until she was refitted in 1888–89. All four of the ships of the class participated in the annual fleet manoeuvers in 1887, 1889–90 and 1892; in between times they were in Fleet Reserve. HMS ''Gorgon'', like all of her sisters, was placed on the non-effective list in 1901 and sold in 1903 for £8,400.<ref>Parkes, pp. 214–15</ref>

HMS ''Hydra'' was the next ship to be completed. After her service with the Particular Service Squadron she was [[paid off]] at [[Sheerness]] and served as tender to [[{{HMS|Duncan class ship of the line (|1859)|HMS ''Duncan'']]6}}. The ship was refitted in 1888–89 and was in Fleet Reserve at [[Chatham Dockyard|Chatham]] until 1901.<ref name=p15/>

HMS ''Cyclops'', the [[lead ship]] of the class, was the third ship to be completed. She was placed in 1st Reserve after her completion. The ship was paid off at Chatham in August 1878 and refitted in 1887–89.<ref name=p15/>

Line 114 ⟶ 123:

==Notes==

{{Reflist|230em}}

==References==

{{Commons category|Cyclops class monitor}}

* {{cite book|last=Ballard |first=G. A., Admiral |title=The Black Battlefleet |year=1980 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |___location=Annapolis, MD |isbn=0-87021-924-3 |oclc=}}

* {{cite book|titlelast=Conway'sBallard All|first=G. theA.|authorlink=George World'sAlexander FightingBallard Ships 1860-1905|editortitle=Gardiner,The RobertBlack Battlefleet |year=1980 |publisher=ConwayNaval MaritimeInstitute Press |___location=Greenwich|date=1979Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=0-831787021-0302924-43}}

*{{cite book|last=ParkesBeeler|first=OscarJohn|title=Birth of the Battleship: British BattleshipsCapital Ship Design 1870–1881|year=2001|publisher=Naval Institute Press|___location=Annapolis, MD|year=1990|edition=reprint of the 1957|isbn=1-55750-075213-47}}

*{{citeCite book|last=Silverstone|first=Paul H.|title=DirectoryConway's ofAll the World's CapitalFighting Ships 1860–1905|yeareditor=1984Gardiner, Robert|publisher=HippocreneConway BooksMaritime Press|___location=New YorkGreenwich|date=1979|isbn=0-882548317-9790302-04|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/conwaysallworlds0000unse_l2e2}}

* {{citeCite book|last=Ballard Parkes|first=G. A., Admiral Oscar|title=The Black Battlefleet |year=1980British Battleships|publisher=Naval Institute Press |___location=Annapolis, MD|year=1990|edition=reprint of the 1957|isbn=01-8702155750-924075-3 |oclc=4}}

*{{Cite book|last=Silverstone|first=Paul H.|title=Directory of the World's Capital Ships|year=1984|publisher=Hippocrene Books|___location=New York|isbn=0-88254-979-0}}

{{Cyclops class ironclad}}

{{British ironclads}}

{{Good article}}

[[Category{{DEFAULTSORT:Cyclops classClass monitor]]Monitor}}

[[Category:Cyclops-class monitors]]

[[Category:Monitors of the United Kingdom]]