Admiral Class Battleship (1882)

Overview of 6 vessels
Citations for this data available on individual ship pages
Name	Builder	Laid Down	Launched	Completed	Fate
Collingwood	Pembroke Royal Dockyard	12 Jul, 1880	22 Nov, 1882	Jul, 1887	Sold 1909
Anson	Pembroke Royal Dockyard	24 Apr, 1883	17 Feb, 1886	May, 1889	Sold 13 Jul, 1909
Benbow	Thames Iron Works	1 Nov, 1882	15 Jun, 1885	14 Jun, 1888	Sold 13 Jul, 1909
Camperdown	Portsmouth Royal Dockyard	18 Dec, 1882	24 Nov, 1885	Jul, 1889	Sold 11 Jul, 1911
Howe	Pembroke Royal Dockyard	7 Jun, 1882	28 Apr, 1885	Jul, 1889	Sold 11 Oct, 1910
Rodney	Chatham Royal Dockyard	6 Feb, 1882	8 Oct, 1884	Jun, 1888	Sold 11 May, 1909

Armament

Torpedoes

Five tubes, one forward and four beam. The forward torpedo tube was above water. The aft tubes were angled fully 70 degrees abaft the beam.

Anson, along with both ships of the Trafalgar class lost torpedoes fired from their above-water stem tubes on a single day on 20 November 1895. The issue arose when the mouths of these tubes became submerged above certain speeds, prompting a cessation of practice and a review of whether these tubes should be used in practice, action, or simply abolished. The consensus was that battleships did not require these tubes, but "cruizers" and torpedo boats might yet. The thinking was that these ships were not strong enough for safely ramming, and the bow tubes, when fired at slow to moderate speeds offered, in effect, an extended ram and the only torpedo fire into undisturbed water. The Admiral class was noted as being keenly afflicted by this fault. The decision was made to stop most practice and to leave combat use of these tubes to the discretion of the commanders, probably to be limited to low speeds in mild seas.

Bibliography

• Beeler, John (2001). Birth of the Battleship: British Capital Ship Design 1870-1885. London: Caxton Editions. 1-84067-5349.
• Parkes, O.B.E., Ass.I.N.A., Dr. Oscar (1990). British Battleships 1860–1950. London: Pen & Sword Ltd. ISBN 0850526043. (on Bookfinder.com).