HMS Warspite (1884)

HMS Warspite, about 1885, with her original 2 brig masts
History
Name	HMS Warspite
Builder	Chatham Dockyard
Laid down	25 October 1881
Launched	29 January 1884
Commissioned	1886
Fate	Sold for breaking up 4 April 1905
General characteristics
Displacement	8,400 tons
Length	315 ft (96 m) pp
Beam	62 ft (19 m)
Draught	26 ft 9 in (8.15 m)
Propulsion	2 Shaft Penn engine
Speed	16.75kts
Complement	555
Armament	4 x BL 9.2-inch (233.7 mm) Mk III guns 6 x BL 6-inch (152.4 mm) guns 6 x torpedo tubes
Armour	Belt 10 in

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Warspite.

HMS Warspite was an Imperieuse-class first-class armoured cruiser, launched on 29 January 1884 and commissioned in 1886. Warspite was the flagship on the Pacific Station between 1890 and 1893, then a port guard ship at Queenstown until 1896. From 1896 to 1899 she again served as the flagship of the Pacific Station. In 1901 she cruised the Pacific to Honolulu and Central America as the flagship of Rear-Admiral Andrew Bickford, Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station.

Morris states that Warspite had her sailing rig removed while building. The illustration of her with masts therefore shows her on trials, or is conjectural.

Warspite as she appeared later in her career, with a single military mast and sailing rig removed

She was sold on 4 April 1904 to Ward of Preston. She arrived on the River Mersey on 3 October 1905 and then travelled on to Preston for breaking up.

References

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• Roger Chesneau and Eugene M. Kolesnik, ed., Conway's All The Worlds Fighting Ships, 1860-1905, (Conway Maritime Press, London, 1979), ISBN 0-85177-133-5

External links

• http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/hms_warspite.htm