HMS Pomone (1897) facts for kids
Pomone
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS Pomone |
| Namesake | Pomona |
| Builder | Sheerness Dockyard, Kent |
| Laid down | 21 December 1896 |
| Launched | 25 November 1897 |
| Completed | May 1899 |
| Decommissioned | October 1904 |
| Reclassified | hulked as training ship, 5 Jan 1910 |
| Fate | Sold for scrap, 25 October 1922 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Pelorus-class cruiser |
| Displacement | 2,135 long tons (2,169 t) |
| Length |
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| Beam | 36 ft 6 in (11.1 m) |
| Draught | 16 ft (4.9 m) |
| Installed power | 7,000 ihp (5,200 kW) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Range | 7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km; 8,100 mi) |
| Complement | 224 |
| Armament |
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| Armour | |
HMS Pomone was a special type of warship called a protected cruiser. It was built for the Royal Navy in the late 1890s. Pomone had a lot of trouble with its engines and boilers. Because of these problems, the ship was taken out of service in 1904. This was after only one trip overseas.
In 1910, Pomone was turned into a hulk. This means it was stripped down and used as a floating training ship. It stayed a training ship until 1922. After that, it was sold for scrap, meaning it was taken apart for its materials.
Contents
What Was the Pomone Like?
Designing a Cruiser for Colonies
These "third-class" cruisers were designed by Sir William White. They were made for serving in the British colonies around the world. They were not meant to be part of the main battle fleet. This type of ship was also used to test different kinds of water-tube boilers. The boilers used on Pomone did not work well. This is why the ship was taken out of service after just five years.
Size and Power of the Pomone
HMS Pomone weighed about 2,135 tonnes (2,101 long tons). It was about 95.6 meters (313 feet 6 inches) long overall. The ship was 11.1 meters (36 feet 6 inches) wide. It drew about 4.9 meters (16 feet) of water.
The ship was powered by two vertical triple-expansion steam engines. Each engine turned one propeller shaft. Sixteen coal-fired Blechynden water-tube boilers made the steam. These engines were supposed to make 7,000 horsepower. But during its sea trials, the ship actually made 7,340 horsepower. This allowed Pomone to reach a top speed of 20.8 knots (38.5 km/h; 23.9 mph). The ship usually had a crew of 224 officers and sailors.
Weapons and Protection
Pomone was armed with several types of guns:
- Eight QF 4-inch (102 mm) guns
- Eight QF 3-pounder guns
- Three machine guns
It also had two 18-inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes. For protection, the ship had a deck that was 38 to 51 mm (1.5 to 2 inches) thick. The conning tower, where the ship was steered, had walls 76 mm (3 inches) thick. The 4-inch guns were protected by gun shields that were 6.4 mm (0.25 inches) thick.
What Did the Pomone Do?
HMS Pomone was built at Sheerness Dockyard. Its construction started on 21 December 1896. It was launched on 25 November 1897 and finished in May 1899.
Early Service and Boiler Troubles
The ship only served one active period. This was with the East Indies Squadron. During this time, it had constant problems with its boilers. In January 1902, Pomone was sent to the Persian Gulf. Its job was to protect British interests there, especially in Kuwait.
Commander Harry Jones took command in March 1902. Later that year, the ship traveled between Aden and Berbera. It helped move troops from India for the 1903 Somaliland campaign. In November and December 1903, Pomone and three other cruisers escorted Lord Curzon on his trip around the Middle East.
End of Active Service
The Blechynden boilers on Pomone were so unreliable. Because of this, Admiral Lord Fisher decided to remove it from active service. This happened in October 1904. He was getting rid of ships that were not working well. Pomone was then put into storage while they decided what to do with it.
On 5 January 1910, Pomone was disarmed and turned into a hulk. It became a stationary training ship for engineers. This training took place at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. Finally, on 25 October 1922, the ship was sold for scrap to J. H. Lee of Dover.
