Royal Sovereign Class Battleship (1891)

For the 20th century class of Super-Dreadnought sometimes referred to as the Royal Sovereign class, please go to the Revenge Class page.

The Royal Sovereign class was a class of eight first-class battleships built for the British Royal Navy in the early 1890s under the Naval Defence Act of 1889. The ships of the class were armed with four 13.5-inch arranged in twin barbettes, except for one ship, Hood, which had her main armament arranged in twin turrets.

Overview of 8 vessels
Citations for this data available on individual ship pages
Name	Builder	Laid Down	Launched	Completed	Fate
Empress of India	Pembroke Royal Dockyard	9 Jul, 1889	7 May, 1891	Aug, 1893	Sunk 1913
Hood	Chatham Royal Dockyard	12 Aug, 1889	30 Jul, 1891	May, 1893	Sunk 3 Nov, 1914
Ramillies	J. & G. Thomson, Clydebank	11 Aug, 1890	1 Mar, 1892	Oct, 1893	Sold 1913
Repulse	Pembroke Royal Dockyard	1 Jan, 1890	27 Feb, 1892	Apr, 1894	Sold 1911
Resolution	Palmer Shipbuilding and Iron Company	14 Jun, 1890	28 May, 1892	Nov, 1893	Sold 1914
Royal Oak	Laird, Birkenhead	29 May, 1890	5 Nov, 1892	Jun, 1894	Sold 1914
Royal Sovereign	Portsmouth Royal Dockyard	30 Sep, 1889	26 Feb, 1891	May, 1892	Sold 7 Oct, 1913
Revenge	Palmer Shipbuilding and Iron Company	12 Feb, 1891	3 Nov, 1892	Mar, 1894	Sold 6 Nov, 1919

Armament

A film of the 13.5-inch guns of a Royal Sovereign class battleship in action can be found here.

Torpedoes

Originally, there were five above-water and two submerged 18-in tubes:

• four above-water, fixed broadside tubes at corners of armoured citadel with the projecting lips having a 3-in armoured trunk, two at 50 degrees abaft the beam and 2 degrees depression, and two at 42 degrees ahead, horizontal.
• one above water fixed tube astern, horizontal, with a 3-in armoured shutter.
• two submerged broadside forward, depressed 1 degree and angled directly abeam; axis of tube was 11 foot 9 inches below load water line and 2 foot 3.5 inches above the deck.

It is possible that the above water tubes were later removed.^[Inference]

Fire Control

Though it may have little relevance given the age difference, the general system of wiring between the T.S.es in ships prior to Lord Nelson class is illustrated in Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914.

Evershed Bearing Indicators

It is unlikely that this equipment was ever provided.^[Inference]

Directors

These ships never received directors for main or secondary batteries.

Local Control in Turrets

There was no provision in these ships for local turret control wherein the receivers in the turret could be driven by transmitters in the officer's position at the back of the turret.

Dreyer Table

These ships never received Dreyer tables.

Fire Control Instruments

In 1906, it was planned to equip Hood, Repulse and Ramillies with Siemens Mark II equipment throughout, and the Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909 shows that all other ships in the class were given Mark I equipment (except Redoubtable, which is conspicuously omitted).

The equipment listed in the 1909 handbook indicates it is for the Mark I majority, but may also described the equipment of the Mark II ships:

• Range: 4 transmitters, 21 receivers
• Orders: 4 transmitters, 14 receivers
• Rate: none
• Deflection: 4 transmitters, 21 receivers

Additionally, the entire class had the following Siemens equipment:

• Group Switches: none
• Turret fire gongs: 4 with 2 keys (Revenge only)
• Fire Gongs: 10 with 2 keys
• Captain's Cease Fire Bells: 14 with 1 key

See Also

• Wikipedia

Bibliography

• Parkes, O.B.E., Ass.I.N.A., Dr. Oscar (1990). British Battleships 1860–1950. London: Pen & Sword Ltd. ISBN 0850526043. (on Bookfinder.com).
• Admiralty, Gunnery Branch (1910). Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909. Copy No. 173 is Ja 345a at Admiralty Library, Portsmouth, United Kingdom.
• Admiralty, Gunnery Branch (1914). Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. G. 01627/14. C.B. 1030. Copy 1235 at The National Archives. ADM 186/191.
• H.M.S. Vernon. Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1906, with Appendix (Wireless Telegraphy). Copy 46 at The National Archives. ADM 189/26.
• R A Burt. The Magnificent 7: The Royal Sovereign Class of 1889, a two-part article in Warship, Issues 14-15.