Marathon-class cruiser
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2017}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2013}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=File:HMS Magicienne.jpg |Ship caption=Chromolithograph of HMS Magicienne by W. Fred Mitchell, 1892 }} {{Infobox ship class overview |Name=Marathon class |Builders=*Fairfields, Govan |Operators={{Navy|United Kingdom}} |Class before= |Class after= |Subclasses= |Cost= |Built range= 1887–1889 |In service range= |In commission range= 1889–1920 |Total ships building= |Total ships planned= |Total ships completed=5 |Total ships cancelled= |Total ships active= |Total ships laid up= |Total ships lost= |Total ships retired=5 |Total ships preserved= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= |Ship type=2nd class cruiser |Ship tonnage= |Ship displacement=*{{Convert|2800|LT|t|0|lk=in}} (Medea & Medusa)
|Ship length= |Ship beam= |Ship height= |Ship draught= |Ship draft= |Ship depth= |Ship hold depth= |Ship decks= |Ship deck clearance= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=Dürr boilers (Medusa){{Cite book |title=Warrior to Dreadnought |last=Brown |first=D.K. |author-link=David K. Brown |publisher=Seaforth |orig-year=1997 |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-84832-086-4 |ref={{harvid|Brown|1997}} |page=165 }} |Ship sail plan= |Ship speed= {{Convert|20|kn|lk=in}} |Ship range= |Ship boats= |Ship complement=218 |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament=*6 × BL 6 inch gun Mk II – VI
|Ship armour= |Ship notes= }} |
The Marathon-class cruiser was a class of second class cruiser of the Royal Navy ordered under the naval programme of 1887. The class was a smaller version of the {{sclass|Mersey|cruiser|4}}.
Three of the ships, Melpomene, Magicienne and Marathon, were built for foreign (tropical) service, with a sheath of wood and copper - this added weight and made them slightly slower.
Ships
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:97%;" |
| Name
! Builder ! Laid down ! Launched ! Completed |
|---|
| {{HMS|Marathon|1888|6}}
| Fairfields, Govan | 10 August 1887 | 23 August 1888 | 1889 |
| {{HMS|Magicienne|1888|6}}
| Fairfields, Govan | 10 August 1887 | 12 May 1888 | 1889 |
| {{HMS|Medea|1888|6}}
| Chatham | 25 April 1887 | 9 June 1888 | 1889 |
| {{HMS|Melpomene|1888|6}}
| 10 October 1887 | 20 September 1888 | 1890 |
| {{HMS|Medusa|1888|6}}
| Chatham | 25 August 1887 | 11 August 1888 | 1889 |
Boiler trials
By 1901, the Royal Navy had ordered eight Dürr boilers from Germany, to be installed as a trial on board {{HMS|Medusa|1888|2}} as a substitute for the Belleville boilers then in naval use.{{Cite Hansard
|title=Dürr water-tube boilers
|volume=92
|column=907
|house=House of Commons
|date=22 April 1901
|speaker=William Allan MP
|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1901/apr/22/durr-water-tube-boilers#S4V0092P0_19010422_HOC_188
|quote=Eight water-tube boilers of the Durr type have been ordered from Germany. The total cost of the boilers is £19,450. This is exclusive of spare parts and fitting on board. The boilers are to be placed on board H.M.S. "Medusa." They have been guaranteed by the maker to give 155,000 lbs. dry steam per hour from feed water at 80 deg. F., with an air pressure of 1½ inches; 104,000 lbs. per hour with ½ inch air pressure (that used for continuous steaming); and 80,000 lbs. per hour with natural draught.
}}
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Notes
{{Reflist}}
References
- {{Cite Colledge2006}}
- {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|author-link=Norman Friedman|title=British Cruisers of the Victorian Era|date=1912|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|ISBN=978-1-84832-099-4}}
- {{cite book|last=Winfield|first=Rif|title=The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815-1889|date=1904|publisher=Chatham Publishing|ISBN=1-86176-032-9}}
External links
{{Commons category|Marathon class cruiser}}
- [http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/marathon_class.htm www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk]
{{Marathon class cruisers}}