HMS Spartan (1891)

HMS Spartan was an Apollo-class cruiser of the Royal Navy constructed in 1891. The design was a variant of the Marathon-class cruiser. The ships had quick firing guns which were effective as a broadside, but less so when attempting to fire fore or aft.

HMS Spartan, 1904
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Spartan
Builder:	Armstrong Mitchell
Launched:	25 February 1891
Renamed:	Defiance II in August 1921
Fate:	Sold to breakers on 26 June 1931
General characteristics
Class and type:	Apollo-class cruiser
Displacement:	3,440 tons
Length:	314 ft (95.7 m)
Beam:	43.5 ft (13.3 m)
Draught:	17.5 ft (5.3 m)
Propulsion:	reciprocating 9000 hp, 2 shafts
Speed:	20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement:	273 to 300 (Officers and Men)
Armament:	As built: 2 × QF 6-inch (152.4 mm) guns 6 × QF 4.7-inch (120 mm) guns[1] 8 × 6 pounder guns 2 to 4 × 14-inch torpedo tubes

In late 1899 she had a refit, and when completed in early February 1900 she was placed in the A division of the Devonport Fleet reserve.[2] From 1907 she was placed on harbour duty. In 1921 she became part of the Royal Navy torpedo school at Devonport, HMS Defiance, which was based in floating obsolete ships, and named for the first ship which had housed the school. Spartan became Defiance II in August 1921. She was sold for scrapping on 26 June 1931.

Notes

1. Admiral Percy Scott quotes 6 x 4.7 inch guns on sister ship HMS Scylla in 1899. "Fifty Years in the Royal Navy" published 1919, page 88
2. "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times (36062). London. 10 February 1900. p. 9.

References

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• navalhistory ship specifications