HMS Archer (1885) facts for kids
HMS Archer c.1888
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS Archer |
| Builder | J & G Thomson, Glasgow |
| Yard number | 226 |
| Launched | 23 December 1885 |
| Fate | Sold in April 1905 for scrapping |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Archer-class torpedo cruiser |
| Displacement | 1770 tons |
| Length | 240 ft (73 m) |
| Beam | 36 ft (11 m) |
| Draught | 13.5 ft (4.1 m) |
| Installed power | 2500 ihp (increased to 4,500 with forced draught) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 17.5 kn (32.4 km/h) |
| Range | 7,000 nmi (13,000 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h) |
| Complement | 176 men |
| Armament |
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| Armour |
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HMS Archer was a special type of warship called a torpedo cruiser. She was part of the British Royal Navy. This ship was built by J & G Thomson in Glasgow, Scotland. Her construction took place between 1885 and 1888.
HMS Archer traveled to many places around the world. She served in areas like Africa, China, and Australia. After many years of service, she was sold for scrap in 1905.
Contents
Building a Torpedo Cruiser
The Archer Class Ships
Archer was the first ship in her class of torpedo cruisers. Her construction began on March 2, 1885, at the J & G Thomson shipyard. This shipyard was located in Clydebank. The ship was officially launched into the water on December 23, 1885. Commander John Ferris completed her fitting out on December 11, 1888, in Devonport.
What is a Torpedo Cruiser?
Torpedo cruisers were smaller, fast warships. Their main job was to protect larger fleets from enemy torpedo boats. These boats could launch torpedoes, which were dangerous underwater weapons. Torpedo cruisers could also use their own torpedoes to attack enemy ships. The Archer class ships were bigger and had more weapons than earlier torpedo cruisers.
Ship's Size and Power
HMS Archer was about 240-foot (73.15 m) long. That's longer than two basketball courts! She was also 36-foot (10.97 m) wide. When fully loaded, the ship weighed about 1,950 tons.
The ship was powered by two large steam engines. These engines used four boilers to create steam. They drove two propellers, allowing the ship to reach speeds of about 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). This is roughly 30 km/h (19 mph). She could travel up to 7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km; 8,100 mi) (about 13,000 km (8,100 mi)) without needing to refuel. This was enough to cross oceans!
Weapons and Protection
HMS Archer carried a good amount of firepower for her size. Her main weapons were six large 6-inch guns. She also had eight smaller 3-pounder guns and two machine guns. For attacking enemy ships, she had three 14-inch torpedo tubes.
To protect the ship and its crew, Archer had armor. Her deck was about 3/8-inch thick. The shields around her guns were 1-inch thick. The ship's conning tower, where the captain steered the ship, had 3-inch thick armor. A crew of 176 sailors and officers worked on board.
Archer's Journeys and Service
HMS Archer had an active career serving the British Empire.
Early Service in Africa
From 1889 to 1890, Archer was stationed in the Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa Station. This meant she patrolled the waters off the coast of Africa.
Service in China
In July 1894, Archer was serving on the China Station. This was a time of tension in Asia. The First Sino-Japanese War was about to begin. Japanese forces surrounded the city of Seoul. Archer sent a group of armed sailors ashore. Their job was to protect the British Consul-General after he had a disagreement with Japanese troops.
Time in Australia
Later, Archer moved to the Australia Station. She served there from September 7, 1900, until December 5, 1903. During this time, Commander John Philip Rolleston was in charge of the ship.
End of Service
After many years of sailing the world, HMS Archer was taken out of service in 1905. In April of that year, she was sold for £4,800 to a company called Forrester in Swansea. They bought her to be broken up for scrap metal.
