HMS Minotaur (1906)

Minotaur underway with her original short funnels
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Minotaur
Namesake:	Minotaur
Builder:	Devonport Dockyard
Laid down:	2 January 1905
Launched:	6 June 1906
Commissioned:	1 April 1908
Decommissioned:	5 February 1919
Fate:	Sold for scrap, April 1920
General characteristics
Class and type:	Minotaur-class armoured cruiser
Displacement:	14,600 long tons (14,800 t)
Length:	490 ft (149.4 m) between perpendiculars 519 ft (158.2 m) overall
Beam:	74.5 ft (22.7 m)
Draught:	26 ft (7.9 m)
Installed power:	27,000 ihp (20,130 kW) 24 × Yarrow water-tube boilers
Propulsion:	2 × shafts 2 × Vertical triple-expansion steam engines
Speed:	23 kn (43 km/h; 26 mph)
Range:	8,150 nmi (15,090 km; 9,380 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement:	825 (1909)
Armament:	2 × twin BL 9.2-inch Mk XI guns 10 × single BL 7.5-inch Mk V guns 16 × single QF 12-pounder, 18 cwt guns 5 × 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour:	Belt: 3–6 in (8–15 cm) Deck: 1.5–2 in (4–5 cm) Barbettes: 7 in (18 cm) Gun turrets: 4.5–8 in (11–20 cm) Conning tower: 10 in (25 cm)

HMS Minotaur was the lead ship of the Minotaur-class armoured cruisers built for the Royal Navy. Launched in 1906, she served as the flagship of the China Station before the First World War. Shortly after the war began, the ship searched unsuccessfully for the German East Asia Squadron and was transferred to the Grand Fleet at the end of 1914. During the rest of the war Minotaur served as the flagship of the 7th and 2nd Cruiser Squadrons and spent most of her time assigned to the Northern Patrol. In mid-1916 she participated in the Battle of Jutland but did not fire her weapons during the battle. The ship was paid off in 1919 and sold for scrap the following year.

Minotaur displaced 14,600 long tons (14,800 t) as built and 16,630 long tons (16,900 t) at deep load. The ship had an overall length of 519 feet (158.2 m), a beam of 74 feet 6 inches (22.7 m) and a mean draught of 26 feet (7.9 m). She was powered by a pair of four-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one shaft, which developed a total of 27,000 indicated horsepower (20,130 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph). The engines were powered by 24 Yarrow water-tube boilers. The ship carried a maximum of 2,060 long tons (2,090 t) of coal and an additional 750 long tons (760 t) of fuel oil that was sprayed on the coal to increase its burn rate. At full capacity, she could steam for 8,150 nautical miles (15,090 km; 9,380 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). Minotaur was designed to carry 779 officers and men, but mustered 825 in 1909.