HMS Racoon (1887) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Racoon
Ordered	1885
Builder	Devonport Dockyard
Cost	Hull: £60,600 Machinery: £31,000
Laid down	1 February 1886
Launched	6 May 1887
Commissioned	1 March 1888
Decommissioned	1 January 1905
Fate	Sold to G Cohen on 4 April 1905
General characteristics
Class and type	Archer-class torpedo cruiser
Displacement	1770 tons
Length	140 ft (43 m)
Beam	36 ft (11 m)
Draught	13.5 ft (4.1 m)
Installed power	2,500 ihp (1,900 kW) 4,500 ihp (3,400 kW) forced draught
Propulsion	Twin 2-cylinder compound steam engines Four boilers Twin screws
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	Six 6-inch (152 mm) guns Eight 3-pounder (47 mm) QF guns Two machine guns One light gun One 14-inch (356 mm) torpedo tube Four torpedo carriages
Armour	deck: .375 in (9.5 mm) Gunshields: 1 in (25 mm) Conning tower: 3 in (76 mm)

HMS Racoon, sometimes spelled HMS Raccoon, was a special type of warship called an Archer-class. She belonged to the Royal Navy, which is the United Kingdom's navy. Racoon was built at Devonport Dockyard and began service in 1888.

What Was a Torpedo Cruiser?

A torpedo cruiser was a fast warship from the late 1800s. These ships were designed to be quick and carry torpedoes. They also had guns to fight other ships. Their main job was to scout ahead for bigger fleets. They could also attack smaller enemy ships or use their torpedoes against larger ones.

Service in the East Indies

Racoon spent some time serving in a place called the East Indies Station. This was a naval base and area of operations for the Royal Navy. It covered a large part of the Indian Ocean and surrounding areas.

The Anglo-Zanzibar War

British warships, including Racoon (right side, foreground), during the short war in Zanzibar in 1896.

On August 27, 1896, Racoon was part of a very short war. This war is known as the Anglo–Zanzibar War. It lasted only about 40 minutes! British ships, including Racoon, fired on the palace of Sultan Khalid in Zanzibar. This action quickly ended the conflict.

Stopping Illegal Trade

Racoon helped stop illegal slave trading, like this group rescued in 1901.

In 1901, Racoon was involved in important work. Her crew helped to stop illegal slave trading. This was a common task for Royal Navy ships in that region. They worked to enforce laws against this practice.

End of Service

In early May 1901, Racoon returned to the United Kingdom. She was then "paid off" at Sheerness on July 6, 1901. This means her crew was removed, and she was taken out of active service. Racoon was officially decommissioned on January 1, 1905. Soon after, on April 4, 1905, she was sold to a company named G Cohen to be broken up for scrap.