HMS Pandora was a Pelorus-class cruiser of the Royal Navy. There were eleven "Third class" protected cruisers in the class, which was designed by Sir William White. While well armed for their size, they were primarily workhorses for the overseas fleet on "police" duties and did not serve with the main battlefleet.

HMS Pandora
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Pandora
NamesakePandora
BuilderPortsmouth Dockyard, Hampshire
Laid down3 January 1898
Launched17 January 1900
ChristenedMary Elizabeth, Mrs. Napier
FateSold for scrap, July 1913
General characteristics
Class and typePelorus-class protected cruiser
Displacement2135 tons
Length313 ft 6 in (95.6 m) (overall)
Beam36 ft 6 in (11.1 m)
Draught16 ft 0 in (4.9 m)
Propulsion2-shaft reciprocating triple-expansion engines, Blechynden boilers, 5000hp
Speed
  • 20.7 knots (38.3 km/h) (trials)
  • 18.5 knots (34.3 km/h) knots (service)
Complement224
Armament
Armour
  • 0.25in (gun shields)
  • 2-1.5in (decks)

Construction details edit

They displaced 2,135 tons, had a crew complement of 224 men and were armed with eight QF 4 inch (102 mm) (25 pounder) guns, eight 3 pounder guns, three machine guns, and two 18 inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes. With reciprocating triple expansion engines and a variety of boilers, the top speed was 20 knots (37 km/h).

Service history edit

HMS Pandora was laid down at Portsmouth Dockyard on 3 January 1898,[1] and launched on 17 January 1900, when she was christened by Mrs. (Mary Elizabeth) Napier, daughter of Admiral Sir Michael Culme-Seymour, Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth[2] (and herself wife of a Royal Navy officer who later became Vice-Admiral Sir Trevylyan Napier).

She was commissioned for the 1901 naval maneuvers, then carried out a series of propeller trials at Portsmouth under Commander Somerset Gough-Calthorpe, before she was paid off on 13 September 1901.[3] On 7 November 1901 she was commissioned by Commander John Francis Murray-Aynsley to relieve HMS Melita on the Mediterranean Station,[4] and she arrived at Malta early the following month.[5] In June 1902 she visited Cyprus,[6] and in September that year she was in the Aegean Sea visiting Nauplia.[7]

In 1906, her Commander was William Sullivan, second son of Admiral Sir Francis Sullivan, 6th Baronet.[8]

Pandora was sold for scrap in July 1913.

References edit

  1. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36027. London. 1 January 1900. p. 7.
  2. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36042. London. 18 January 1900. p. 7.
  3. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36553. London. 6 September 1901. p. 8.
  4. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36607. London. 8 November 1901. p. 6.
  5. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36633. London. 9 December 1901. p. 10.
  6. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36799. London. 20 June 1902. p. 10.
  7. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36863. London. 3 September 1902. p. 4.
  8. ^ "Obituary: Admiral Sir F. W. Sullivan". The Times. No. 38021. London. 16 May 1906. p. 12.