HMS Orion (1879) facts for kids
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Orion and crew in a dock of the Tanjong Pagar Dock Co. Ltd. in Singapore
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS Orion |
| Builder | Samuda Brothers, Cubitt Town |
| Laid down | 1875 |
| Launched | 23 January 1879 |
| Completed | 3 July 1882 |
| Fate | Broken up 1913 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Belleisle-class ironclad |
| Displacement | 4,870 tons |
| Length | 245 ft (75 m) p/p |
| Beam | 52 ft (16 m) |
| Draught | 21 ft (6.4 m) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 12.2 kn (22.6 km/h) |
| Complement | 249 |
| Armament |
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| Armour |
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HMS Orion was a powerful warship from the Victorian era. She was an ironclad, which means she was a ship protected by thick iron armor. The Royal Navy used her to patrol the seas and protect British interests around the world.
Orion was not originally meant for the British Navy. She was being built for the Ottoman Empire and was going to be called Bourdjou-Zaffer. However, the British government bought her before she was finished. This happened in 1878, during a time when there was a war between the Ottoman Empire and Russia.
Contents
Building a Mighty Ship
Orion was designed by a skilled Ottoman naval architect named Ahmed Pasha. She was built in London by a company called Samuda Brothers in Cubitt Town. Her sister ship, HMS Belleisle, was also bought by the British at the same time.
Since Orion was not as far along in construction as Belleisle, the British could make more changes to her design. They wanted her to fit in better with their other warships.
Powerful Guns
The original plan for Orion was to have four 10-inch guns. These were muzzle-loading rifles, meaning the cannonballs were loaded from the front of the barrel. But during her construction, the plans were upgraded to even bigger 12-inch guns.
These large guns were placed in a special area called a box battery in the middle of the ship. They could only fire sideways, or "broadside." This was different from other ships that had guns in turrets, which could turn to aim in many directions.
Life at Sea: Orion's Service History
HMS Orion began her service with the Mediterranean Fleet on June 24, 1878. This fleet operated in the Mediterranean Sea.
In 1883, she was placed in the Reserve fleet in Malta. This meant she was kept ready but not actively sailing.
Guardship Duty
Orion was brought back into service in 1885. She then served as a guardship in Singapore until 1890. A guardship helps protect a port or area.
After her time in Singapore, she was moved to a lower reserve status in Malta. She later went through repairs and stayed in reserve at Chatham.
Later Years
By January 1902, Orion was no longer considered an active warship. A few months later, in April 1902, she became a depot-ship in Malta. This meant she was used as a floating base for smaller torpedo-boats. Captain Charles Madden was in command of her during this time.
In 1913, she was changed again. She became a store-ship at Devonport and was renamed Orontes. She was used to store supplies until she was sold later that same year.
