Town-class cruiser (1910)

HMS Gloucester
Class overview
Name:	Town class
Operators:	Royal Navy  Royal Australian Navy
Preceded by:	None
Succeeded by:	Arethusa class
Subclasses:	Bristol Weymouth Chatham Birmingham Birkenhead
Built:	1909–22
In commission:	1910–49
Completed:	21
Lost:	2
Scrapped:	19
General characteristics
Type:	Light cruiser
Displacement:	4,800–5,440 long tons (4,880–5,530 t)
Length:	453–462 ft (138.1–140.8 m) (o/a)
Beam:	48–50 ft (14.6–15.2 m)
Draught:	14–16 ft (4.3–4.9 m)
Installed power:	22,000–25,000 shp (16,000–19,000 kW) 12 × Yarrow boilers
Propulsion:	4 shafts, 2 steam turbine sets
Speed:	25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range:	4,140–5,830 nautical miles (7,670–10,800 km; 4,760–6,710 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement:	310–480
Armament:	Bristol subclass : Two BL 6-inch (152 mm) Mk XI guns (50 calibre) ten BL 4-inch (101.6 mm) Mk VII guns four QF 3 pounder (47-mm) guns Two 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes Weymouth, Chatham, Birmingham subclasses : Eight to nine BL 6- inch (Mk XI (50 calibre) guns or Mk XII (45 calibre) guns four QF 3 pounder (47-mm) guns Two 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes Birkenhead subclass : Ten BL 5.5 inch (140 mm) Mk I (50 calibre) guns One 3 inch (76 mm) anti-aircraft gun Two 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour:	Bristol, Weymouth subclasses : Deck: .75–2 in (19–51 mm) Conning Tower: 4 in (102 mm) Gun Shields: 4 in (102 mm) Chatham, Birmingham, Birkenhead subclasses: Belt: 1.5–3 in (38–76 mm) Deck: 0.4–1.5 in (10–38 mm) Gun Shields: 4 in (102 mm) Conning Tower: 4 in (102 mm)

The Town class was a group of twenty-one light cruisers built for the Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN). These vessels were long-range cruisers, suitable for patrolling the vast expanse covered by the British Empire. These ships, initially rated as second class cruisers, were built to a series of designs, known as the Bristol (five ships), Weymouth (four ships), Chatham (three RN ships, plus three RAN ships), Birmingham (three ships, plus one similar RAN ship) and Birkenhead (two ships) classes – all having the names of British towns except for the RAN ships, which were named after Australian cities.

The Bristol class were all ordered under the 1908–09 Programme and commissioned in late 1910. They were second class cruisers suitable for a variety of roles including both trade protection and fleet duties. They were 453 feet (138.1 m) long overall, with a beam of 47 feet (14.3 m) and a draught of 15 feet 6 inches (4.7 m). Displacement was 4,800 long tons (4,900 t) normal and 5,300 long tons (5,400 t) full load. Twelve Yarrow three-drum boilers fed steam turbines rated at 22,000 shaft horsepower (16,000 kW), giving a speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph). One ship, Bristol, had Brown-Curtis turbines driving two propeller shafts, while the remaining three ships used Parsons turbines driving four shafts. Speed during sea trials varied between 25.856 knots (47.885 km/h; 29.755 mph) (Glasgow) and 27.012 knots (50.026 km/h; 31.085 mph) (Bristol). The experimental two-shaft layout of Bristol was successful, giving greater efficiency, especially at lower speeds. The ships used both coal and oil for fuel, with 1353 tons of coal and 260 tons of oil carried, giving an endurance of about 5,070 nautical miles (9,390 km; 5,830 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph).

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