Barham Class
3rd Class Cruiser
The Barham class
cruisers were faster versions of the Barracouta
class They were intended to serve in the Home fleet and Mediterranean
fleets. They were fitted with locomotive engines similar to the
engines fitted to torpedo gunboats this was a mistake as the determination
of the engines causing many breakdowns on there first commission. During
1888 and 1889 they were re-boilered at Thornycroft. which gave them a
speed of 18 knots. and more reliable.
The Bellona was a steel third-class cruiser of the Naval
Defence Act Programme, and was launched in 1890. She was built by contract
at the yard of Messrs. Hawthorne, Leslie & Co., at Newcastle, and
engined by the same firm. The Bellona was commissioned at Devonport in
August 1894 for service with the Channel Squadron and carried the pennant
of Commander Paul W Bush.
HMS Barham, built
1889 and scrapped 1914. She served in the Mediterranean Fleet from January
1905 and was later recommissioned 4 years later at Malta and again when at
Devonport in 1911.
