Drake class cruiser
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HMS Drake in 1909.
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Drake class |
| Operators: |
 Royal Navy
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| Preceded by: | Cressy class |
| Succeeded by: | Monmouth class |
| In commission: | 1902–1920 |
| Completed: | 4 |
| Lost: | 2 |
| Scrapped: | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Armoured cruiser |
| Displacement: | 14,150 long tons (14,380 t) (normal) |
| Length: | 533 ft 6 in (162.6 m) (o/a) |
| Beam: | 71 ft 4 in (21.7 m) |
| Draught: | 26 ft (7.9 m) |
| Installed power: |
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| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph) |
| Complement: | 900 |
| Armament: |
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| Armour: | |
The Drake class was a four-ship class of armoured cruisers built around 1900 for the Royal Navy.
The Drake class were enlarged and improved versions of the Cressy class designed by Sir William White, Chief Constructor of the Royal Navy, to counter the new French armoured cruiser Jeanne d'Arc. The ships had an overall length of 553 feet 6 inches (168.7 m), a beam of 71 feet 4 inches (21.7 m) and a deep draught of 26 feet 9 inches (8.2 m). They displaced 14,150 long tons (14,380 t) and proved to be good seaboats in service. Their crew consisted of 900 officers and other ranks.
The ships were powered by two 4-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by 43 Belleville boilers. The engines produced a total of 30,000 indicated horsepower (22,000 kW) and the Drakes easily reached their designed speed of 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph). They carried a maximum of 2,500 long tons (2,500 t) of coal.
The main armament of the Drake-class ships consisted of two breech-loading (BL) 9.2-inch (234 mm) Mk X guns in single gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure. They fired 380-pound (170 kg) shells to a range of 15,500 yards (14,200 m). The ships' secondary armament of sixteen BL 6-inch Mk VII guns was arranged in casemates amidships. Eight of these were mounted on the main deck and were only usable in calm weather. They had a maximum range of approximately 12,200 yards (11,200 m) with their 100-pound (45.4 kg) shells. A dozen quick-firing (QF) 12-pounder 12 cwt guns were fitted for defence against torpedo boats. Two additional 12-pounder 8 cwt guns could be dismounted for service ashore. The ships also carried three 3-pounder Hotchkiss guns and two submerged 17.7-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes.
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