HMS Fame (1896) facts for kids

HMS Fame was a fast warship known as a destroyer. It was built for the Royal Navy in 1896. This ship spent its entire service life in Chinese waters. It was eventually sold in Hong Kong in 1921.

Quick facts for kids History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Fame
Ordered	10 May 1895
Builder	John I Thornycroft, Chiswick
Cost	£54,724
Yard number	306
Laid down	4 July 1895
Launched	15 April 1896
Commissioned	June 1897
Out of service	Laid up in reserve 1919
Identification	Pennant number: D26
Honours and awards	China 1900
Fate	Sold for breaking at Hong Kong, 31 August 1921
General characteristics
Class and type	Two funnel, 30 knot destroyer
Displacement	272 long tons (276 t) standard 352 long tons (358 t) full load
Length	210 ft (64 m) o/a
Beam	19 ft 6 in (5.94 m)
Draught	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Installed power	5,700 shp (4,300 kW)
Propulsion	3 × water tube boilers 2 × vertical triple-expansion steam engines 2 shafts
Speed	30 kn (56 km/h)
Range	80 tons coal 1,310 nmi (2,430 km) at 11 kn (20 km/h)
Complement	65 officers and men
Armament	1 × QF 12-pounder 12 cwt Mark I L/40 naval gun on a P Mark I low angle mount 5 × QF 6-pdr 8 cwt L/40 gun on a Mark I* low angle mount 2 × single tubes for 18-inch (450mm) torpedoes
Service record
Part of:	China Station - 1897
Operations:	Boxer Rebellion 1899 First World War 1914–1918

Building a Fast Warship

HMS Fame was one of several "thirty-knotter" destroyers. These ships were designed to be very fast. The Royal Navy ordered Fame from a company called John I Thornycroft in 1895.

The Navy had some basic rules for the ship's design. It had to reach a speed of 30 knots (about 55 km/h). It also needed specific weapons. These included a main 12-pounder gun, five smaller 6-pounder guns, and two torpedo tubes.

Ship's Design and Features

Thornycroft's design for Fame included three special boilers. These boilers powered two steam engines. The engines produced a lot of power, about 5,700 horsepower. The ship had two funnels.

Fame was about 64 meters (210 feet) long. It was 5.9 meters (19 feet 6 inches) wide. When fully loaded, the ship weighed about 352 tonnes. A crew of 63 officers and sailors worked on board.

Construction and Launch

The building of Fame started on July 4, 1895. It was built at Thornycroft's shipyard in Chiswick, by the River Thames. The ship was launched into the water on April 15, 1896.

During its sea tests, Fame proved its speed. It reached over 30 knots. After its weapons were added, the Royal Navy accepted the ship in June 1897.

Early Years and China Service

On June 26, 1897, Fame was part of a big naval parade. This event celebrated Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Soon after, the ship was sent to the China Station. It stayed in Chinese waters for the rest of its active service.

The officers of HMS Fame in 1900, including Roger Keyes.

Fighting in the Boxer Rebellion

In 1900, Fame took part in the Boxer Rebellion in China. On June 17, 1900, it was involved in a battle. This battle was against the Taku forts and Chinese destroyers.

The battle led to the capture of four Chinese destroyers. One of them was later renamed HMS Taku. For its actions during this rebellion, Fame received a special honor called "China 1900".

Maintenance and Changes

In 1902, Fame's boilers were repaired. In 1904, the ship went into dry dock for maintenance. On April 19, 1909, one of its boilers burst. Another ship, HMS Virago, had to tow Fame to Nagasaki for repairs.

In 1912, the Navy changed how it named destroyer classes. Fame was placed in the D class. From 1913, it had the letter 'D' painted on its hull.

World War I Service

When First World War started in 1914, Fame was still in China. It was part of the Eastern Fleet. The ship remained on the China Station throughout the entire war.

End of Service

In 1919, HMS Fame was taken out of active service. It was kept in reserve. On August 31, 1921, the ship was sold in Hong Kong. It was then broken up for scrap.