H.M.S. Renown (1895)

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H.M.S. Renown (1895)
Builder: Pembroke Royal Dockyard[1]
Ordered: 1892-93 Programme[2]
Laid down: Feb, 1893[3]
Launched: 8 May, 1895[4]
Commissioned: Jan, 1897[5]
Sold: 1914[6]
Fate: Scrapped

Renown was a slightly larger version of the previous Centurion class, and sometimes is considered a member of that class.

Service

Renown was launched on 8 May, 1895, by Mrs. Balfour, wife of the Captain Superintendent of Pembroke Royal Dockyard, Captain Charles J. Balfour. Her main propulsion machinery was provided by Messrs. Maudsley, Sons, and Field of Lambeth.[7]

She was commissioned at Devonport on 8 June, 1897, by Captain Arthur W. Moore, with a complement of 699 officers and men.[8] Renown flew the flag of Admiral Sir Nowell Salmon, Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth, on 26 June for the Fleet Review commemorating Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, which he commanded.[9] Captain Daniel McN. Riddel superseded Moore on 3 August,[10] and at Portsmouth on 24 August Vice-Admiral Sir John A. Fisher hoisted his flag as Commander-in-Chief on the North America and West Indies Station.[11]

Assistant Director of Naval Intelligence for Mobilisation, Captain Prince Louis of Battenberg, wrote to Fisher's Chief of the Staff, Captain George F. King-Hall on 15 April, 1900: "As to Renown she should not be the flagship; in fact, she ought to be in China. We want the biggest and best in Mediterranean; J.F. of course, won't part with his 'yacht', but it is quite wrong."[12]

Armament

Main Battery

Each barbette had five electrical motors ammunition hoisting (though steam worked half this path) and gun elevation.[13] The 6-hp electrical shot hoist could lift the 400 pound cage which could hold one shell and 2 charges or two shells through 25.5 feet in the forward barbette and 21.5 feet in the aft barbette. The forward one could do this in 14 seconds.

The guns could only be electrically elevated by their 1.5-hp motors from the outboard sighting positions initially, though this may have been changed after 1896. The control was a spring-bolt centered handle rotated between 11 resistances for motion up or down, the centre one being "stop". One defect of this system was that the slow elevation speeds could only be selected after moving the handle from the centre to either of the high speed ranges.[14]

Secondary Battery

  • ten 6-in Q.F. Mark II guns

In early 1905, it was approved that the 6-in guns in Majestics and later battleships should have "A" class cross connected sights, with one V.P. 7 to 21 scope and one 3 power illuminated scope in a body enlarged to V.P. size.[15]

Other Guns

Torpedoes

There were originally five 18-in tubes:[16]

  • one stern above water tube
  • two submerged broadside tubes forward, depressed 1 degree and angled directly abeam; axis of tube was 10 foot 7 inches below load water line and 2 foot 5 inches above the deck.
  • two submerged broadside tubes aft, depressed 1 degree and angled 20 degrees abaft the beam; axis of tube was 10 foot 7 inches below load water line and 2 foot 5 inches above the deck.

Renown fired torpedoes successfully during her trials while at high speed at 85-95 revolutions. The torpedoes from the forward tubes experienced 5 degrees deflection and the aft submerged tubes none at all. Even the above-water stern tube's fire was not drawn into the wake when under helm, as was commonly the case. [17]

In October – December 1898, the ship became one of the first in the Royal Navy to receive torpedoes fitted for gyroscopes, drawn from the Portsmouth Depot. It is not entirely clear whether she received four or six torpedoes, but she only received two gyroscopes:[18]

In 1904, in a competition to investigate how rapidly submerged tubes could be fired four times sequentially, starting with the tube loaded and the bar out, the ship's crew did three trials, turning in times of 2:48, 5:05 and 2:37. The best time was achieved by Cressy at 50.75 seconds, though 2:30 was more typical.[19]

Fire Control

Though it may have little relevance given the age difference, the general system of wiring between the T.S.es in ships prior to Lord Nelson class is illustrated in Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914[20].

Rangefinders

Evershed Bearing Indicators

It is unlikely that this equipment was ever provided.[Inference]

Directors

These ships never received directors for main or secondary batteries[21].

Gunnery Control

Local Control in Turrets

There was no provision in these ships for local turret control wherein the receivers in the turret could be driven by transmitters in the officer's position at the back of the turret[22].

Transmitting Stations

Dreyer Table

These ships never received Dreyer tables[23].

Fire Control Instruments

In 1906, it was planned to equip Renown with Siemens Mark II equipment throughout,[24] and she may have received this equipment during or before 1909.[25] It is possible that her details might similar to those of Glory, adjusted for differences in armament and number of control positions.[Inference]

Torpedo Control

Radio

By 1901, she has a Marconi W/T set.[26]

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

See Also

Footnotes

  1. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 34.
  2. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 34.
  3. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 34.
  4. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 34.
  5. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 34.
  6. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 34.
  7. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 9 May, 1895. Issue 34572, col C, p. 10.
  8. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 9 June, 1897. Issue 35225, col C, p. 10.
  9. "The Naval Review at Spithead" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Friday, 25 June, 1897. Issue 35239, col A, p. 13.
  10. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 28 July, 1897. Issue 35267, col E, p. 13.
  11. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 25 August, 1897. Issue 35291, col D, p. 5.
  12. Quoted in Kerr. p. 138.
  13. Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1896. pp. 56-58, Plate 16.
  14. Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1896. pp. 58.
  15. Principal Questions Dealt with by the Director of Naval Ordnance, 1905. pp. 489-91.
  16. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 34.
  17. Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1896. pp. 39, 41.
  18. Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1898. p. 42.
  19. Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1904. pp. 45-7.
  20. Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. p. 50 & Plates 50 and 54(I).
  21. Director Firing Handbook, 1917, pp. 142-3.
  22. Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. p. 50.
  23. Handbook of Captain F. C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables, 1918. p. 3.
  24. Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1906. p. 82.
  25. Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909. p. 56.
  26. Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1901. p. 111.
  27. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 12 May, 1897. Issue 35201, col E, p. 13.
  28. Moore Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. f. 915.
  29. Moore Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. f. 915.
  30. The Navy List. (October, 1898). p. 287.
  31. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 28 July, 1897. Issue 35267, col E, p. 13.
  32. The Navy List. (February, 1900). p. 289.
  33. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 15 March, 1900. Issue 36090, col E, p. 7.
  34. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 15 March, 1900. Issue 36090, col E, p. 7.
  35. The Navy List. (May, 1902). p. 297a.
  36. The Navy List. (May, 1902). p. 297a.
  37. Farquhar Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 444.
  38. Farquhar Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 444.
  39. Farquhar Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 444.
  40. Sheppard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 393.
  41. Sheppard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 393.
  42. Grant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/69. f. 76.
  43. Grant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/69. f. 76.
  44. The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 366.
  45. The Navy List. (July, 1909). p. 366.
  46. England Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 271.
  47. England Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 271.
  48. Tibbits Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/243. f. 268.
  49. The Navy List. (August, 1912). p. 366.
  50. Tibbits Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/243. f. 268.

Bibliography


Second Class Battleship H.M.S. Renown
<– Majestic Class Battleships (UK) Canopus Class –>