HMS Australia (1886)
_in_the_1890s.jpg)
Australia at anchor
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| History | |
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 United Kingdom
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| Name: | HMS Australia |
| Namesake: | Australia |
| Builder: | Robert Napier and Sons, Govan, Glasgow |
| Laid down: | 21 April 1885 |
| Launched: | 25 November 1886 |
| Completed: | 11 December 1888 |
| Fate: | Sold for scrap, 4 April 1905 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Orlando-class armoured cruiser |
| Displacement: | 5,535 long tons (5,624 t) |
| Length: | 300 ft (91.4 m) (p/p) |
| Beam: | 56 ft (17.1 m) |
| Draught: | 24 ft (7.3 m) |
| Installed power: | |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Range: | 8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) |
| Complement: | 484 |
| Armament: |
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| Armour: |
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HMS Australia was one of seven Orlando-class armoured cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1880s. She was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet in 1889 and remained there until 1893 when she returned home. The ship was assigned to the Coast Guard Squadron for the next decade before she was placed in reserve in 1903. Australia was sold for scrap in 1905.
Australia had a length between perpendiculars of 300 feet (91.4 m), a beam of 56 feet (17.1 m) and a draught of 24 feet (7.3 m). Designed to displace 5,040 long tons (5,120 t), all of the Orlando-class ships proved to be overweight and displaced approximately 5,535 long tons (5,624 t). The ship was powered by a pair of three-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one shaft, which were designed to produce a total of 8,500 indicated horsepower (6,300 kW) and a maximum speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) using steam provided by four boilers with forced draught. During her sea trials, Australia reached 18.8 knots (34.8 km/h; 21.6 mph). The ship carried a maximum of 900 long tons (910 t) of coal which was designed to give her a range of 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). The ship's complement was 484 officers and enlisted men.
Australia's main armament consisted of two breech-loading (BL) 9.2-inch (234 mm) Mk V guns, one gun fore and aft of the superstructure on pivot mounts. Her secondary armament was ten BL 6-inch (152 mm) guns, five on each broadside. Protection against torpedo boats was provided by six quick-firing (QF) 6-pounder Hotchkiss guns and ten QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss guns, most of which were mounted on the main deck in broadside positions. The ship was also armed with six 18-inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes: four on the broadside above water and one each in the bow and stern below water.
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