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==Background and design==
==Background and design==
''Dreadnought'' was originally named ''Fury'' and was designed by the [[Director of Naval Construction]] (DNC), Sir [[Edward James Reed|Edward Reed]], and an improved and enlarged version of the preceding {{sclass-|Devastation|ironclad|2}} turret ships. The ship was laid down, fully farmed and partially plated up to the bottom of the [[waterline]] [[belt armor]]<ref>Brown, location 2402</ref> when work was ordered stopped in 1871 in light of the loss of the ironclad turret ship {{HMS|Captain|1869|2}} in a heavy storm the previous year. A Committee on Designs was formed in January 1871 to evaluate existing ship designs with special consideration as to their [[ship stability|stability and buoyancy]] and found that the designs of ''Devastation'' and ''Fury'' were lacking in both qualities and needed to be modified.<ref>Parkes, pp. 192–94</ref> Reed had resigned before ''Captain'' was lost and he vehemently opposed the changes made by the new DNC, [[Nathaniel Barnaby]] and his assistant, [[William Henry White|William White]], himself a future DNC.<ref>Gardiner, p. 82</ref>
''Dreadnought'' was originally named ''Fury'' and was designed by the [[Director of Naval Construction]] (DNC), Sir [[Edward James Reed|Edward Reed]], as an improved and enlarged version of the preceding {{sclass-|Devastation|ironclad|2}} turret ships. The ship was laid down, fully farmed and partially plated up to the bottom of the [[waterline]] [[belt armor]]<ref>Brown, location 2402</ref> when work was ordered stopped in 1871 in light of the loss of the ironclad turret ship {{HMS|Captain|1869|2}} in a heavy storm the previous year. A Committee on Designs was formed in January 1871 to evaluate existing ship designs with special consideration as to their [[ship stability|stability and buoyancy]] and found that the designs of ''Devastation'' and ''Fury'' were lacking in both qualities and needed to be modified.<ref>Parkes, pp. 192–94</ref> Reed had resigned before ''Captain'' was lost and he vehemently opposed the changes made by the new DNC, [[Nathaniel Barnaby]] and his assistant, [[William Henry White|William White]], himself a future DNC.<ref>Gardiner, p. 82</ref>


The main changes were to increase the [[beam (nautical)|beam]] by {{convert|18|in|mm|0}} and widen Reed's armoured [[breastwork (fortification)|breastwork]] to cover the full width of the hull; this increased the ship's [[freeboard (nautical)|freeboard]] [[amidships]] which improved buoyancy and stability and provided additional, badly needed, accommodation for the crew. In addition, the maximum thickness of the armour was increased from {{convert|12|to|14|in|mm|0}}, it was extended all the way to the [[bow (ship)|bow]] and reinforced the [[naval ram|ram]]. Barnaby and White's initial plan was to extend the breastwork fore and aft, almost to the ends of the ship, but this was changed to run all the way to the ends after the results of {{HMS|Devastation|1871|2}}'s [[sea trials]] in 1873–74 revealed that her low bow caused major problems in [[head sea]]s. Other changes was the substitution of inverted vertical [[Marine steam engine#Compound engine|compound-expansion steam engines]] for Reed's original horizontal low-pressure engines, more powerful {{convert|12.5|in|adj=on}} guns for the {{convert|12|in|0|adj=on}} ones first chosen, and the fitting of [[hydraulic pump]]s to work the [[gun turret]]s.<ref>Parkes, pp. 206–08</ref>
The main changes were to increase the [[beam (nautical)|beam]] by {{convert|18|in|mm|0}} and widen Reed's armoured [[breastwork (fortification)|breastwork]] to cover the full width of the hull; this increased the ship's [[freeboard (nautical)|freeboard]] [[amidships]] which improved buoyancy and stability and provided additional, badly needed, accommodation for the crew. In addition, the maximum thickness of the armour was increased from {{convert|12|to|14|in|mm|0}}, it was extended all the way to the [[bow (ship)|bow]] and reinforced the [[naval ram|ram]]. Barnaby and White's initial plan was to extend the breastwork fore and aft, almost to the ends of the ship, but this was changed to run all the way to the ends after the results of {{HMS|Devastation|1871|2}}'s [[sea trials]] in 1873–74 revealed that her low bow caused major problems in [[head sea]]s. Other changes was the substitution of inverted vertical [[Marine steam engine#Compound engine|compound-expansion steam engines]] for Reed's original horizontal low-pressure engines, more powerful {{convert|12.5|in|adj=on}} guns for the {{convert|12|in|0|adj=on}} ones first chosen, and the fitting of [[hydraulic pump]]s to work the [[gun turret]]s.<ref>Parkes, pp. 206–08</ref>

Revision as of 14:18, 18 April 2016

Bow view of Dreadnought being fitted with Nordenfelt guns (visible abaft the bridge), probably after 1894
Class overview
Operators Royal Navy
Preceded byTemplate:Sclass-
Succeeded byHMS Neptune
Completed1
Scrapped1
History
United Kingdom
NameDreadnought
Ordered1870 Naval Programme
BuilderPembroke Dockyard
Laid down10 September 1870
Launched8 March 1875
Completed15 February 1879
Out of service1905
Stricken1908
FateSold for scrap, July 1908
General characteristics (as built)
TypeIronclad turret ship
Displacement10,886 long tons (11,061 t)
Length320 ft (97.5 m) (pp) 343 ft (105 m) (oa)
Beam63 ft 10 in (19.5 m)
Draught26 ft 6 in (8.1 m)
Installed power8,206 ihp (6,119 kW); 12 cylindrical boilers
Propulsion2 shafts; 2 compound-expansion steam engines
Speed14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Range5,700 nmi (10,600 km; 6,600 mi) @ 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement369
Armament4 × 12.5-inch (317 mm) rifled muzzle-loading guns
Armour

HMS Dreadnought was an ironclad turret ship built for the Royal Navy during the 1870s.

Background and design

Dreadnought was originally named Fury and was designed by the Director of Naval Construction (DNC), Sir Edward Reed, as an improved and enlarged version of the preceding Template:Sclass- turret ships. The ship was laid down, fully farmed and partially plated up to the bottom of the waterline belt armor[1] when work was ordered stopped in 1871 in light of the loss of the ironclad turret ship Captain in a heavy storm the previous year. A Committee on Designs was formed in January 1871 to evaluate existing ship designs with special consideration as to their stability and buoyancy and found that the designs of Devastation and Fury were lacking in both qualities and needed to be modified.[2] Reed had resigned before Captain was lost and he vehemently opposed the changes made by the new DNC, Nathaniel Barnaby and his assistant, William White, himself a future DNC.[3]

The main changes were to increase the beam by 18 inches (457 mm) and widen Reed's armoured breastwork to cover the full width of the hull; this increased the ship's freeboard amidships which improved buoyancy and stability and provided additional, badly needed, accommodation for the crew. In addition, the maximum thickness of the armour was increased from 12 to 14 inches (305 to 356 mm), it was extended all the way to the bow and reinforced the ram. Barnaby and White's initial plan was to extend the breastwork fore and aft, almost to the ends of the ship, but this was changed to run all the way to the ends after the results of Devastation's sea trials in 1873–74 revealed that her low bow caused major problems in head seas. Other changes was the substitution of inverted vertical compound-expansion steam engines for Reed's original horizontal low-pressure engines, more powerful 12.5-inch (320 mm) guns for the 12-inch (305 mm) ones first chosen, and the fitting of hydraulic pumps to work the gun turrets.[4]

Construction

Right elevation and deck plan of Dreadnought as depicted in Brassey's Naval Annual, 1888

The original design was recast for heavier armour and higher speed. The renamed ship was laid down in 1872 at Pembroke Dockyard, Wales and was subsequently launched in March 1875, with final completion at Portsmouth in 1879. She carried her four muzzle-loading guns in two twin turrets, and had a very heavily armored hull, low freeboard, and no sailing rig. Her secondary armament was very light, though it varied in detail throughout her career. Despite their obsolescence,[citation needed] she retained her muzzle-loading big guns to the end of her days.

Service history

After completion, Dreadnought remained in reserve until 1884, when she was commissioned for service in the Mediterranean Sea. The battleship returned to British waters in 1894 and, after refit, served in 1895-1897 as a coast guard ship at Bantry Bay, Ireland.

Dreadnought was partially modernized in 1897-1899 and took part in British fleet manoeuvres in 1900 and 1901 as a second-class battleship. In June 1902, she was refitted at Chatham, to serve as a tender to the HMS Defiance, torpedo school ship at Devonport,[5] and later as a depot ship. She was placed out of service in 1905, and sold for scrapping in July 1908.

Footnotes

  1. ^ Brown, location 2402
  2. ^ Parkes, pp. 192–94
  3. ^ Gardiner, p. 82
  4. ^ Parkes, pp. 206–08
  5. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36793. London. 13 June 1902. p. 10. template uses deprecated parameter(s) (help)

References