Imperieuse
ClassThe Imperieuse
Class Armoured Cruisers. HMS Warspite and her sister ship HMS Imperieuse made up the class of
heavily
armoured cruisers. HMS Warspite was built at Chatham Dockyard and engined
by Penn. and Launched 29th January 1884, while her sister ship HMS Imperious was
built at Portsmouth Dockyard 1883 and engined by Maudslay. Both ships were completed
in 1886 at a total cost of about £630,000 each. Imperieuse served as flagship
on the China Station from 1889-94, and then the Pacific Station 1896-99.
She was then renamed Sapphire II and was used as a destroyer depot ship
but reverted back to Imperieuse in 1909. Warspite also served as
flagship on the Pacific Station from 1890-93 and was then portguard ship
at Queenstown from 1893-96.
Displacement 8,400 tons, Length. 315 feet. beam 62 feet.
Draught 27.33 feet. Horsepower 10,000 giving 16.75 knots
Armament. Four 9.2 inch guns, six 6-inch guns. and six 14-inch torpedo
Tubes. Armour. Belt amidships 10 inches. with 9 -inch
Bulkheads. 8 inch Barbettes, No armour on Lesser Guns. 3 inch protective deck
for and aft and on top of belt. 9 inch Conning tower.
