This is a list of cruisers of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

from 1877 (when the category was created by amalgamating the two previous categories of frigate and corvette) until the last cruiser was decommissioned more than a century later. There are no longer any cruisers in the

First class cruisers

Armoured cruisers were protected by a belt of side armour and an armoured deck. In the Royal Navy this classification was not actually used, the term first class cruiser being used instead for both armoured cruisers and large

protected cruiser Protected cruisers, a type of naval cruiser of the late-19th century, gained their description because an armoured deck offered protection for vital machine-spaces from fragments caused by shells exploding above them. Protected cruisers re ...

s. Thus, the first class cruisers built between the ''Orlando'' class (1886) and the ''Cressy'' class (1897) were, strictly speaking, protected cruisers as they lacked an armoured belt. The first class cruiser was succeeded by the Battlecruiser in the Royal Navy. * ''Shannon'' first class armoured cruiser, (1875) 5,670 tons, 2×10in, 7×9inch ** '' Shannon'' (1875) – Sold 1899 * ''Nelson'' class first class armoured cruiser, 7,473 tons, 4×10-inch, 6×9-inch ** ''

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

'' (1876) – Sold 1910 ** '' Northampton'' (1876) – Sold 1905 * ''Imperieuse'' class first class armoured cruiser, 8,500 tons, 4×9.2inch, 10×6inch ** '' Imperieuse'' (1883) – Sold 1913 ** '' Warspite'' (1884) – Sold 1905 * ''Orlando'' class first class armoured cruiser, 5,600 tons, 2×9.2-inch, 10×6-inch ** ''

Orlando Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures re ...

'' (1886) – Sold 1905 ** '' Australia'' (1886) – Sold 1905 ** '' Undaunted'' (1886) – Sold 1907 ** '' Narcissus'' (1886) – Sold 1906 ** ''

Galatea Galatea is an ancient Greek name meaning "she who is milk-white". Galatea, Galathea or Gallathea may refer to: In mythology * Galatea (Greek myth), three different mythological figures In the arts * ''Aci, Galatea e Polifemo'', cantata by H ...

'' (1887) – Sold 1905 ** '' Immortalite'' (1887) – Sold 1907 ** ''

Aurora An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...

'' (1887) – Sold 1907 * ''Blake'' class first class protected cruiser, 9,150 tons, 2 × 9.2-inch, 10 × 6-inch ** ''

Blake Blake is a surname which originated from Old English. Its derivation is uncertain; it could come from "blac", a nickname for someone who had dark hair or skin, or from "blaac", a nickname for someone with pale hair or skin. Another theory, presuma ...

'' (1889) – Sold 1922 ** '' Blenheim'' (1890) – Sold 1926 * ''Edgar'' class first class protected cruiser, 7,700 tons, 2× 9.2-inch, 10×6-inch ** '' Edgar'' (1890) – Sold 1921 ** '' Hawke'' (1891) – Torpedoed 1914 ** '' Endymion'' (1891) – Sold 1920 ** '' Royal Arthur'' (1891) – Sold 1921 ** ''

Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = " Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gib ...

'' (1892) – Sold 1923 ** '' Grafton'' (1892) – Sold 1920 ** '' St George'' (1892) – Sold 1920 ** ''

Theseus Theseus (, ; grc-gre, Θησεύς ) was the mythical king and founder-hero of Athens. The myths surrounding Theseus his journeys, exploits, and friends have provided material for fiction throughout the ages. Theseus is sometimes describ ...

'' (1892) – Sold 1921 ** ''

Crescent A crescent shape (, ) is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase in the first quarter (the "sickle moon"), or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself. In Hinduism, Lord Shiva is often shown wearing a crescent moon on his ...

'' (1892) – Sold 1921 * ''Powerful'' class first class protected cruiser, 14,200 tons, 2×9.2-inch, 12× 6-inch ** '' Powerful'' (1895) – Sold 1929 ** '' Terrible'' (1895) – Sold 1932 * ''Diadem'' class first class protected cruiser, 11,000 tons, 16× 6-inch ** ''

Diadem A diadem is a type of crown, specifically an ornamental headband worn by monarchs and others as a badge of royalty. Overview The word derives from the Greek διάδημα ''diádēma'', "band" or "fillet", from διαδέω ''diadéō'', " ...

'' (1896) – Sold 1921 ** ''

Niobe In Greek mythology, Niobe (; grc-gre, Νιόβη ) was a daughter of Tantalus and of either Dione, the most frequently cited, or of Eurythemista or Euryanassa, the wife of Amphion and the sister of Pelops and Broteas. Her father was the r ...

'' (1897) – To

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

as HMCS ''Niobe'', BU 1922 ** '' Europa'' (1897) – Sold 1920 ** '' Andromeda'' (1897) – Sold 1956 ** ''

Amphitrite In ancient Greek mythology, Amphitrite (; grc-gre, Ἀμφιτρίτη, Amphitrítē) was the goddess of the sea, the queen of the sea, and the wife of Poseidon. She was a daughter of Nereus and Doris (or Oceanus and Tethys).Roman, L., & Ro ...

'' (1898) – Sold 1920 ** ''

Argonaut The Argonauts (; Ancient Greek: ) were a band of heroes in Greek mythology, who in the years before the Trojan War (around 1300 BC) accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. Their name comes from their ship, ''Argo'', n ...

'' (1898) – Sold 1920 ** ''

Ariadne Ariadne (; grc-gre, Ἀριάδνη; la, Ariadne) was a Cretan princess in Greek mythology. She was mostly associated with mazes and labyrinths because of her involvement in the myths of the Minotaur and Theseus. She is best known for havi ...

'' (1898) – Torpedoed 1917 ** ''

Spartiate A Spartiate (cf. its plural Spartiatae 'Spartans') �spärshēˈātē(z)or Spartiate �spärshēˌāt(from respectively the Latin and French forms corresponding to Classical- el, and pl. Σπᾰρτῐᾱ́ται) or ''Homoios'' (pl. ''Homoioi ...

'' (1898) – Sold 1932 * ''Cressy'' class first class armoured cruiser, 12,000 tons, 2×9.2-inch, 12×6-in ** '' Cressy'' (1899) – Torpedoed 1914 ** '' Sutlej'' (1899) – Sold 1924 ** ''

Aboukir Abu Qir ( ar, ابو قير, ''Abu Qīr'', or , ), formerly also spelled Abukir or Aboukir, is a town on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, near the ruins of ancient Canopus, Egypt, Canopus and northeast of Alexandria by rail. It is located o ...

'' (1900) – Torpedoed 1914 ** '' Hogue'' (1900) – Torpedoed 1914 ** '' Bacchante'' (1901) – Sold 1920 ** ''

Euryalus Euryalus (; grc, Εὐρύαλος, Eurýalos, broad) refers to the Euryalus fortress, the main citadel of Ancient Syracuse, and to several different characters from Greek mythology and classical literature: Classical mythology *Euryalus, name ...

'' (1901) – Sold 1920 * ''Drake'' class first class armoured cruiser, 14,150 tons, 2× 9.2-inch, 16×-6-inch ** ''

Drake Drake may refer to: Animals * A male duck People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name * Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * ...

'' (1901) – Torpedoed 1917 ** '' Good Hope'' (ex-''Africa'') (1901) – Sunk during the

Battle of Coronel The Battle of Coronel was a First World War Imperial German Navy victory over the Royal Navy on 1 November 1914, off the coast of central Chile near the city of Coronel. The East Asia Squadron (''Ostasiengeschwader'' or ''Kreuzergeschwader'') ...

, 1914 ** ''

King Alfred Alfred the Great (alt. Ælfred 848/849 – 26 October 899) was King of the West Saxons from 871 to 886, and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 until his death in 899. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf and his first wife Osburh, who ...

'' (1901) – Sold 1920 ** ''

Leviathan Leviathan (; he, לִוְיָתָן, ) is a sea serpent noted in theology and mythology. It is referenced in several books of the Hebrew Bible, including Psalms, the Book of Job, the Book of Isaiah, the Book of Amos, and, according to some ...

'' (1901) – Sold 1920 * ''Monmouth'' class first class armoured cruiser, 9,800 tons, 14× 6-inch ** '' Monmouth'' (1901) – Sunk during the Battle of Coronel, 1914 ** ''

Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst ...

'' (1901) – Wrecked on 21 August 1910 off Quelport Island in the China Sea ** ''

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and Grea ...

'' (1901) – Sold 1921 ** ''

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

'' (1901) – Sold 1920 ** '' Berwick'' (1902) – Sold 1920 ** ''

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...

'' (1902) – Sold 1920 ** '' Cumberland'' (1902) – Sold 1921 ** '' Donegal'' (1902) – Sold 1920 ** '' Lancaster'' (1902) – Sold 1920 ** '' Suffolk'' (1903) – Sold 1920 * ''Devonshire'' class first class armoured cruiser, 10,850 tons, 4× 7.5-inch, 6× 6-inch ** ''

Devonshire Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, ...

'' (1904) – Sold 1921 ** ''

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English cities on its south coast, Southampton and Portsmouth, Hampshire ...

'' (1903) – Mined 1916 ** '' Carnarvon'' (1903) – Sold 1921 ** '' Antrim'' (1903) – Sold 1922 ** ''

Roxburgh Roxburgh () is a civil parish and formerly a royal burgh, in the historic county of Roxburghshire in the Scottish Borders, Scotland. It was an important trading burgh in High Medieval to early modern Scotland. In the Middle Ages it had at leas ...

'' (1904) – Sold 1921 ** ''

Argyll Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland. Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...

'' (1904) – Wrecked 1915 * ''Duke of Edinburgh'' group first class armoured cruiser ** ''Duke of Edinburgh'' class 13,550 tons, 6× 9.2-inch, 10× 6-inch *** '' Duke of Edinburgh'' (1904) – Sold 1920 *** ''

Black Prince Edward of Woodstock, known to history as the Black Prince (15 June 1330 – 8 June 1376), was the eldest son of King Edward III of England, and the heir apparent to the English throne. He died before his father and so his son, Richard II, suc ...

'' (1904) – Sunk at the Battle of Jutland, 1916 ** ''Warrior'' class 13,550 tons, 6x 9.2-in, 4x 7.5-in *** ''

Warrior A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste. History Warriors seem to have be ...

'' (1905) – Sunk at the Battle of Jutland, 1916 *** '' Cochrane'' (1905) – Wrecked 1918 *** ''

Achilles In Greek mythology, Achilles ( ) or Achilleus ( grc-gre, Ἀχιλλεύς) was a hero of the Trojan War, the greatest of all the Greek warriors, and the central character of Homer's '' Iliad''. He was the son of the Nereid Thetis and Pele ...

'' (1905) – Sold 1921 *** ''

Natal NATAL or Natal may refer to: Places * Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, a city in Brazil * Natal, South Africa (disambiguation), a region in South Africa ** Natalia Republic, a former country (1839–1843) ** Colony of Natal, a former British colony ( ...

'' (1905) – Explosion 1915 * ''Minotaur'' class first class armoured cruiser, 14,600 tons, 4× 9.2-inch, 10× 7.5-inch ** '' Minotaur'' (1906) – Sold 1920 ** '' Shannon'' (1906) – Sold 1922 ** ''

Defence Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense indus ...

'' (1907) – Sunk at the Battle of Jutland, 1916

Protected cruisers

Protected cruiser Protected cruisers, a type of naval cruiser of the late-19th century, gained their description because an armoured deck offered protection for vital machine-spaces from fragments caused by shells exploding above them. Protected cruisers re ...

s were so-called because their vital machinery spaces were protected by an armoured deck and the arrangement of coal bunkers. The ships below are all protected cruisers, but were rated as second and third class cruisers by the Royal Navy. The third class cruiser was not expected to operate with the fleet, was substantially smaller than the second class and lacked the watertight double-bottom of the latter. With the advent of turbine machinery, oil firing and better armour plate the protected cruiser became obsolete and was succeeded by the

light cruiser A light cruiser is a type of small or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck. Prior to th ...

. * ''Iris'' class second class cruiser, 3,730 tons, 10-64pdr ** ''

Iris Iris most often refers to: *Iris (anatomy), part of the eye *Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess * ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants * Iris (color), an ambiguous color term Iris or IRIS may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional ent ...

'' (1877) ** '' Mercury'' (1878) * ''Comus'' class third class cruiser, 2,380 tons (''Constance'' 2,590 tons), 2-7in + 12-64pdr (except ''Comus'' 4-6in + 8-64pdr; ''Canada'' & ''Cordelia'' 10-6in) ** ''

Comus In Greek mythology, Comus (; grc, Κῶμος, ''Kōmos'') is the god of festivity, revels and nocturnal dalliances. He is a son and a cup-bearer of the god Dionysus. He was represented as a winged youth or a child-like satyr and represents ana ...

'' (1878) – Sold 1904 ** '' Curacoa'' (1878) – Sold 1904 ** ''

Champion A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, a ...

'' (1878) – Sold 1919 ** '' Cleopatra'' (1878) – Sold 1931 ** '' Carysfort'' (1878) – Sold 1899 ** ''

Conquest Conquest is the act of military subjugation of an enemy by force of arms. Military history provides many examples of conquest: the Roman conquest of Britain, the Mauryan conquest of Afghanistan and of vast areas of the Indian subcontinent, t ...

'' (1878) – Sold 1899 ** '' Constance'' (1880) – Sold 1899 ** ''

'' (1881) – Sold 1897 ** ''

Cordelia Cordelia is a feminine given name. It was borne by the tragic heroine of Shakespeare's ''King Lear'' (1606), a character based on the List of legendary kings of Britain, legendary queen Cordelia of Britain, Cordelia. The name is of uncertain origi ...

'' (1881) – Sold 1904 * ''Leander'' class second class cruiser, 4,300 tons, 10-6in ** '' Leander'' (1882) – Sold 1920 ** '' Arethusa'' (1882) – Sold 1905 ** '' Phaeton'' (1883) – Sold 1947 ** ''

Amphion There are several characters named Amphion in Greek mythology: * Amphion, son of Zeus and Antiope, and twin brother of Zethus (see Amphion and Zethus). Together, they are famous for building Thebes. Pausanias recounts an Egyptian legend accor ...

'' (1883) – Sold 1906 * ''Calypso'' class third class cruiser, 2,770 tons, 4-6in + 12-5in ** '' Calypso'' (1883) – Sold 1922 ** ''

Calliope In Greek mythology, Calliope ( ; grc, Καλλιόπη, Kalliópē, beautiful-voiced) is the Muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry; so called from the ecstatic harmony of her voice. Hesiod and Ovid called her the "Chief of all Muse ...

'' (1884) – Sold 1951 (drill ship from 1907) * ''Surprise'' class third class cruiser, 1,700 tons, 4-5in ** '' Surprise'' (1885) ** '' Alacrity'' (1885) * ''Mersey'' class second class cruiser, 4,050 tons, 2-8in, 10-6in ** ''

Mersey The River Mersey () is in North West England. Its name derives from Old English and means "boundary river", possibly referring to its having been a border between the ancient kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria. For centuries it has formed part ...

'' (1885) – Sold 1905 ** ''

Severn , name_etymology = , image = SevernFromCastleCB.JPG , image_size = 288 , image_caption = The river seen from Shrewsbury Castle , map = RiverSevernMap.jpg , map_size = 288 , map_c ...

'' (1885) – Sold 1905 ** ''

Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...

'' (1885) – Renamed ''General Botha'', scuttled 1947 ** '' Forth'' (1886) – Sold 1921 * ''Scout'' class third class torpedo cruiser, 1,580 tons, 4-5in ** '' Scout'' (1885) ** '' Fearless'' (1886) * ''Archer'' class third class torpedo cruiser, 1,770 tons, 6-6in ** ''

Archer Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...

'' (1885) ** ''

Mohawk Mohawk may refer to: Related to Native Americans * Mohawk people, an indigenous people of North America (Canada and New York) *Mohawk language, the language spoken by the Mohawk people * Mohawk hairstyle, from a hairstyle once thought to have been ...

'' (1886) ** '' Brisk'' (1886) ** '' Porpoise'' (1886) ** '' Cossack'' (1886) ** '' Tartar'' (1886) ** ''

Serpent Serpent or The Serpent may refer to: * Snake, a carnivorous reptile of the suborder Serpentes Mythology and religion * Sea serpent, a monstrous ocean creature * Serpent (symbolism), the snake in religious rites and mythological contexts * Serp ...

'' (1887) ** '' Racoon'' (1887) * ''Marathon'' class second class cruiser, 2,850 tons, 6-6in ** '' Magicienne'' (1888) ** ''

Medea In Greek mythology, Medea (; grc, Μήδεια, ''Mēdeia'', perhaps implying "planner / schemer") is the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis, a niece of Circe and the granddaughter of the sun god Helios. Medea figures in the myth of Jason an ...

'' (1888) – Sold 1914 ** ''

Medusa In Greek mythology, Medusa (; Ancient Greek: Μέδουσα "guardian, protectress"), also called Gorgo, was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. Those ...

'' (1888) – Sold 1920 ** '' Marathon'' (1888) ** '' Melpomene'' (1888) * ''Barracouta'' class third class cruiser, 1,580 tons, 6-4.7in ** '' Barracouta'' (1889) ** '' Barrosa'' (1889) ** '' Blanche'' (1889) ** ''

Blonde Blond (male) or blonde (female), also referred to as fair hair, is a hair color characterized by low levels of the dark pigment eumelanin. The resultant visible hue depends on various factors, but always has some yellowish color. The color can ...

'' (1889) * ''Barham'' class third class cruiser, 1,830 tons, 6-4.7in ** '' Barham'' (1889) ** '' Bellona'' (1890) * ''Pearl'' class third class cruiser, 2,575 tons, 8-4.7in ** '' Pandora'' (1889) ** ''

Psyche Psyche (''Psyché'' in French) is the Greek term for "soul" (ψυχή). Psyche may also refer to: Psychology * Psyche (psychology), the totality of the human mind, conscious and unconscious * ''Psyche'', an 1846 book about the unconscious by Car ...

'' (1889) ** ''

Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

'' (1889) ** '' Pelorus'' (1889) ** ''

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

'' (1890) ** ''

Pallas Pallas may refer to: Astronomy * 2 Pallas asteroid ** Pallas family, a group of asteroids that includes 2 Pallas * Pallas (crater), a crater on Earth's moon Mythology * Pallas (Giant), a son of Uranus and Gaia, killed and flayed by Athena * Pa ...

'' (1890) ** '' Phoebe'' (1890) ** ''

Pearl A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is composed of calcium carb ...

'' (1890) ** '' Philomel'' (1890) * ''Apollo'' class second class cruiser, 3,400 tons, 2-6in, 6-4.7in ** ''

Latona In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Leto (; grc-gre, Λητώ , ''Lētṓ'', or , ''Lātṓ'' in Doric Greek) is a goddess and the mother of Apollo, the god of music, and Artemis, the goddess of the hunt.Hesiod, ''Theogony'404–409/ref ...

'' (1890) – Sold 1920 ** ''

Melampus In Greek mythology, Melampus (; grc, Μελάμπους, ''Melampous'') was a legendary soothsayer and healer, originally of Pylos, who ruled at Argos. He was the introducer of the worship of Dionysus, according to Herodotus, who asserted tha ...

'' (1890) – Sold 1910 ** ''

Andromache In Greek mythology, Andromache (; grc, Ἀνδρομάχη, ) was the wife of Hector, daughter of Eetion, and sister to Podes. She was born and raised in the city of Cilician Thebe, over which her father ruled. The name means 'man battler ...

'' (1890) ** ''

Sirius Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. Its name is derived from the Greek word , or , meaning 'glowing' or 'scorching'. The star is designated α Canis Majoris, Latinized to Alpha Canis Majoris, and abbreviated Alpha CM ...

'' (1890) – Scuttled 1918 ** ''

Terpsichore In Greek mythology, Terpsichore (; grc-gre, Τερψιχόρη, "delight in dancing") is one of the nine Muses and goddess of dance and chorus. She lends her name to the word "terpsichorean" which means "of or relating to dance". Appearance ...

'' (1890) – Sold 1914 ** '' Naiad'' (1890) – Sold 1922 ** '' Pique'' (1890) – Sold 1911 ** ''

Thetis Thetis (; grc-gre, Θέτις ), is a figure from Greek mythology with varying mythological roles. She mainly appears as a sea nymph, a goddess of water, or one of the 50 Nereids, daughters of the ancient sea god Nereus. When described as ...

'' (1890) – Scuttled 1918 ** '' Sybille'' (1890) – Wrecked 1901 ** ''

Apollo Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label= Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label ...

'' (1891) ** ''

Tribune Tribune () was the title of various elected officials in ancient Rome. The two most important were the tribunes of the plebs and the military tribunes. For most of Roman history, a college of ten tribunes of the plebs acted as a check on th ...

'' (1891) – Sold 1911 ** ''

Spartan Sparta ( Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta refe ...

'' (1891) – Renamed ''Defiance'' 1921, sold 1931 ** '' Indefatigable'' (1891) ** ''

Rainbow A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows c ...

'' (1891) – To Canada as HMCS ''Rainbow'' 1910 ** '' Sappho'' (1891) – Sold 1921 ** '' Intrepid'' (1891) – Scuttled 1918 ** '' Brilliant'' (1891) ** '' Retribution'' (1891) – Sold 1911 ** '' Scylla'' (1891) – Sold 1914 ** ''

Aeolus In Greek mythology, Aeolus or Aiolos (; grc, Αἴολος , ) is a name shared by three mythical characters. These three personages are often difficult to tell apart, and even the ancient mythographers appear to have been perplexed about which A ...

'' (1891) ** ''

Iphigenia In Greek mythology, Iphigenia (; grc, Ἰφιγένεια, , ) was a daughter of King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra, and thus a princess of Mycenae. In the story, Agamemnon offends the goddess Artemis on his way to the Trojan War by hunting ...

'' (1891) – Scuttled 1918 * ''Astraea'' class second class cruiser, 4,360 tons, 2-6in, 8-4.7in ** ''

Bonaventure Bonaventure ( ; it, Bonaventura ; la, Bonaventura de Balneoregio; 1221 – 15 July 1274), born Giovanni di Fidanza, was an Italian Catholic Franciscan, bishop, cardinal, scholastic theologian and philosopher. The seventh Minister G ...

'' (1892) – Sold 1920 ** '' Cambrian'' (1893) – Sold 1923 ** ''

Astraea Astraea, Astrea or Astria ( grc, Ἀστραία, Astraía; "star-maiden" or "starry night"), in ancient Greek religion, is a daughter of Astraeus and Eos. She is the virgin goddess of justice, innocence, purity and precision. She is closely as ...

'' (1893) – Sold 1920 ** '' Charybdis'' (1893) – Sold 1922 ** '' Fox'' (1893) – Sold 1920 ** ''

Hermione Hermione may refer to: People * Hermione (given name), a female given name * Hermione (mythology), only daughter of Menelaus and Helen in Greek mythology and original bearer of the name Arts and literature * ''Cadmus et Hermione'', an opera by ...

'' (1893) – Renamed ''Warspite'', sold 1940 ** ''

Flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' ...

'' (1893) – Renamed ''Indus II'', sold 1922 ** ''

Forte Forte or Forté may refer to: Music *Forte (music), a musical dynamic meaning "loudly" or "strong" * Forte number, an ordering given to every pitch class set * Forte (notation program), a suite of musical score notation programs * Forte (vocal ...

'' (1893) – Sold 1914 * ''Eclipse'' class second class cruiser, 5,600 tons, 5-6in, 6-4.7in ** '' Eclipse'' (1894) ** '' Talbot'' (1895) ** ''

Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never f ...

'' (1895) ** ''

Minerva Minerva (; ett, Menrva) is the Roman goddess of wisdom, justice, law, victory, and the sponsor of arts, trade, and strategy. Minerva is not a patron of violence such as Mars, but of strategic war. From the second century BC onward, the Rom ...

'' (1895) ** '' Juno'' (1895) ** '' Diana'' (1895) ** '' Doris'' (1896) – Sold 1919 ** ''

Dido Dido ( ; , ), also known as Elissa ( , ), was the legendary founder and first queen of the Phoenician city-state of Carthage (located in modern Tunisia), in 814 BC. In most accounts, she was the queen of the Phoenician city-state of Tyre (t ...

'' (1896) – Sold 1926 ** ''

Isis Isis (; ''Ēse''; ; Meroitic: ''Wos'' 'a''or ''Wusa''; Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎, romanized: ʾs) was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kin ...

'' (1896) * ''Arrogant'' class second class cruiser, 5,750 tons, 4-6in, 6-4.7in ** ''

Arrogant Arrogance or Arrogant may refer to: Music *Arrogance (band), an American rock band active since the 1970s * "Arrogance", a song by Prince from the ''Love Symbol Album'' * ''Arrogant'' (EP), a 2014 EP by Medina Ships * HMS ''Arrogant'' * ''Arrogan ...

'' (1896) – Sold 1923 ** '' Furious'' (1896) – Renamed ''Forte'' 1915, sold 1923 ** '' Gladiator'' (1896) – Collision 1908, refloated, sold 1909 ** '' Vindictive'' (1897) – Scuttled 1918 * ''Pelorus'' class third class cruiser, 2,135 tons, 8-4in ** '' Proserpine'' (1896) ** '' Pelorus'' (1896) ** ''

Pactolus Pactolus ( el, Πακτωλός), now named Sart Çayı, is a river near the Aegean coast of Turkey. The river rises from Mount Tmolus, flows through the ruins of the ancient city of Sardis, and empties into the Gediz River, the ancient Hermus. ...

'' (1896) ** '' Pegasus'' (1897) – Sunk 1914 ** '' Perseus'' (1897) ** '' Pomone'' (1897) ** ''

Pyramus Pyramus and Thisbe are a pair of ill-fated lovers whose story forms part of Ovid's ''Metamorphoses''. The story has since been retold by many authors. Pyramus and Thisbe are two lovers in the city of Babylon who occupy connected houses. Their ...

'' (1897) ** ''

'' (1898) – To Australia 1915 ** ''

Prometheus In Greek mythology, Prometheus (; , , possibly meaning " forethought")Smith"Prometheus". is a Titan god of fire. Prometheus is best known for defying the gods by stealing fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technology, kn ...

'' (1898) ** ''

Pioneer Pioneer commonly refers to a settler who migrates to previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land. In the United States pioneer commonly refers to an American pioneer, a person in American history who migrated west to join in settling and de ...

'' (1899) – To Australia 1912, scuttled 1931 ** '' Pandora'' (1900) * ''Highflyer'' class second class cruiser, 5,650 tons, 11-6in ** ''

Hermes Hermes (; grc-gre, wikt:Ἑρμῆς, Ἑρμῆς) is an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology. Hermes is considered the herald of the gods. He is also considered the protector of human heralds, travelle ...

'' (1898) – Torpedoed 1914 ** '' Highflyer'' (1898) – Sold 1921 ** ''

Hyacinth Hyacinth or Hyacinthus may refer to: Nature Plants * Hyacinth (plant), genus ''Hyacinthus'' ** '' Hyacinthus orientalis'', common hyacinth * Grape hyacinth, '' Muscari'', a genus of perennial bulbous plants native to Eurasia * Hyacinth bean, ''L ...

'' (1898) – Sold 1923 * ''Challenger'' class second class cruiser, 5,880 tons, 11-6in ** '' Challenger'' (1902) – Sold 1920 ** ''

Encounter Encounter or Encounters may refer to: Film *''Encounter'', a 1997 Indian film by Nimmala Shankar * ''Encounter'' (2013 film), a Bengali film * ''Encounter'' (2018 film), an American sci-fi film * ''Encounter'' (2021 film), a British sci-fi film * ...

'' (1902) – To Australia 1912 as HMAS ''Encounter'', renamed ''Penguin'' 1923, scuttled 1932 * ''Topaze'' class third class cruiser, 3,000 tons, 12-4in ** '' Topaze'' (1903) – Sold 1921 ** '' Amethyst'' (1903) – Sold 1920 ** ''

Diamond Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, ...

'' (1904) – Sold 1921 ** ''

Sapphire Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminium oxide () with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, or magnesium. The name sapphire is derived via the Latin "sa ...

'' (1904) – Sold 1921

Scout cruisers

The

scout cruiser A scout cruiser was a type of warship of the early 20th century, which were smaller, faster, more lightly armed and armoured than protected cruisers or light cruisers, but larger than contemporary destroyers. Intended for fleet scouting duties a ...

was a smaller, faster, more lightly armed and armoured cruiser than the protected cruiser, intended for fleet scouting duties and acting as a

flotilla leader A flotilla leader was a warship of late 19th century and early 20th century navies suitable for commanding a flotilla of destroyers or other small warships, typically a small cruiser or a large destroyer (known as a destroyer leader). The flotil ...

. Essentially there were two distinct groups – the eight vessels all ordered under the 1903 Programme, and the seven later vessels ordered under the 1907-1910 Programmes. The advent of better machinery and larger, faster

destroyers In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...

and light cruisers effectively made them obsolete. * ''Sentinel'' class 2,880 tons, 10 x 12pdr ** '' Sentinel'' (1904) – Sold 1923 ** ''

Skirmisher Skirmishers are light infantry or light cavalry soldiers deployed as a vanguard, flank guard or rearguard to screen a tactical position or a larger body of friendly troops from enemy advances. They are usually deployed in a skirmish line, an ir ...

'' (1905) – Sold 1920 * ''Adventure'' class 2,640 tons, 10 x 12pdr ** ''

Adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme ...

'' (1904) – Sold 1920 ** '' Attentive'' (1904) – Sold 1920 * ''Forward'' class 2,860 tons, 10 x 12pdr ** '' Forward'' (1904) – Sold 1921 ** '' Foresight'' (1904) – Sold 1920 * ''Pathfinder'' class 2,900 tons, 10 x 12pdr ** ''

Pathfinder Pathfinder may refer to: Businesses * Pathfinder Energy Services, a division of Smith International * Pathfinder Press, a publisher of socialist literature Computing and information science * Path Finder, a Macintosh file browser * Pathfinder ( ...

'' (1904) – Torpedoed 1914 ** '' Patrol'' (1904) – Sold 1920 * ''Boadicea'' class 3,300 tons, 6 x 4in ** '' Boadicea'' (1908) ** '' Bellona'' (1909) * ''Blonde'' class 3,350 tons, 10 x 4in ** ''

'' (1910) ** '' Blanche'' (1909) * ''Active'' class 3,440 tons, 10 x 4in ** ''

Active Active may refer to: Music * ''Active'' (album), a 1992 album by Casiopea * Active Records, a record label Ships * ''Active'' (ship), several commercial ships by that name * HMS ''Active'', the name of various ships of the British Royal ...

'' (1911) ** ''

'' (1911) ** '' Fearless'' (1912)

Light cruisers

The light armoured cruiser –

– succeeded the protected cruiser; improvements in machinery and armour rendering the latter obsolete. The of 1910 were rated as second-class protected cruisers, but were effectively light armoured cruisers with mixed coal and oil firing. The of 1913 were the first oil-only fired class. This meant that the arrangement of coal bunkers in the hull could no longer be relied upon as protection and the adoption of destroyer-type machinery resulted in a higher speed. This makes the ''Arethusa''s the first "true example" of the warship that came to be recognised as the light cruiser. In the London Naval Treaty of 1930, light cruisers were officially defined as cruisers having guns of 6.1 inches (155 mm) calibre or less, with a displacement not exceeding 10,000 tons. * Town class **''Bristol'' group 4,800 tons, two 6-in & ten 4-in guns *** ''

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

'' (1910) *** ''

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

'' (1910) *** ''

Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east ...

'' (1910) *** ''

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...

'' (1910) *** ''

Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to: *Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England *Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England *Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...

'' (1910) **''Weymouth'' group 5,250 tons, eight 6-in guns *** '' Weymouth'' (1911) *** '' Dartmouth'' (1911) *** '' Falmouth'' (1911) *** '' Yarmouth'' (1912) **''Chatham'' group 5,400 tons, eight 6-in guns *** '' Chatham'' (1912) *** ''

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...

'' (1913) *** ''

Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...

'' (1912) *** (1916) *** (1913) *** (1913) **''Birmingham'' group 5,440 tons, nine 6-in guns *** ''

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...

'' (1914) *** '' Lowestoft'' (1914) *** ''

Nottingham Nottingham ( , locally ) is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east of Sheffield and north-east of Birmingham. Nottingham has links to the legend of Robi ...

'' (1914) *** (1922) **''Birkenhead'' group 5,185 tons, ten 5.5-in guns *** ''

Birkenhead Birkenhead (; cy, Penbedw) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England; historically, it was part of Cheshire until 1974. The town is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the south bank of the River Mersey, opposite Liver ...

'' (1915) *** '' Chester'' (1916) * ''Arethusa'' class, 3,750 tons, two 6-in & six 4-in guns ** '' Arethusa'' (1914) ** ''

'' (1914) ** ''

'' (1914) ** '' Inconstant'' (1915) ** ''

Penelope Penelope ( ; Ancient Greek: Πηνελόπεια, ''Pēnelópeia'', or el, Πηνελόπη, ''Pēnelópē'') is a character in Homer's ''Odyssey.'' She was the queen of Ithaca and was the daughter of Spartan king Icarius and naiad Periboea. Pe ...

'' (1914) ** '' Phaeton'' (1915) ** ''

Royalist A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governm ...

'' (1915) ** '' Undaunted'' (1914) * C class ** ''Caroline'' group 4,219 tons, two 6-in & eight 4-in guns *** '' Caroline'' (1914) *** '' Carysfort'' (1914) *** '' Cleopatra'' (1915) *** ''

'' (1914) *** ''

'' (1915) *** ''

'' (1914) ** ''Calliope'' group 4,228 tons, two 6-in & eight 4-in guns *** ''

'' (1914) *** ''

'' (1915) ** ''Cambrian'' group 4,320 tons, two 6-in & eight 4-in guns *** '' Cambrian'' (1916) *** ''

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...

'' (1915) *** '' Castor'' (1915) *** '' Constance'' (1915) ** ''Centaur'' group 4,165 tons, five 6-in guns *** '' Centaur'' (1916) *** ''

Concord Concord may refer to: Meaning "agreement" * Pact or treaty, frequently between nations (indicating a condition of harmony) * Harmony, in music * Agreement (linguistics), a change in the form of a word depending on grammatical features of other ...

'' (1916) ** ''Caledon'' group 4,180 tons, five 6-in guns *** '' Caledon'' (1916) *** '' Calypso'' (1917) – torpedoed 1940 *** ''

Cassandra Cassandra or Kassandra (; Ancient Greek: Κασσάνδρα, , also , and sometimes referred to as Alexandra) in Greek mythology was a Trojan priestess dedicated to the god Apollo and fated by him to utter true prophecies but never to be belie ...

'' (1916) – struck a mine 1918 *** ''

Caradoc Caradoc Vreichvras (; Modern cy, Caradog Freichfras, ) was a semi-legendary ancestor to the kings of Gwent. He may have lived during the 5th or 6th century. He is remembered in the Matter of Britain as a Knight of the Round Table, under the ...

'' (1916) ** ''Ceres'' group 4,190 tons, five 6-in guns *** ''

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

'' (1917) *** ''

Ceres Ceres most commonly refers to: * Ceres (dwarf planet), the largest asteroid * Ceres (mythology), the Roman goddess of agriculture Ceres may also refer to: Places Brazil * Ceres, Goiás, Brazil * Ceres Microregion, in north-central Goiás ...

'' (1917) *** ''

Coventry Coventry ( or ) is a city in the West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its city status until the Middle Ages. The city is governed b ...

'' (1917) – sunk 1942 *** '' Curacoa'' (1917) – sunk in collision 1942 *** ''

Curlew The curlews () are a group of nine species of birds in the genus ''Numenius'', characterised by their long, slender, downcurved bills and mottled brown plumage. The English name is imitative of the Eurasian curlew's call, but may have been in ...

'' (1917) – bombed 1940 ** ''Carlisle'' group 4,290 tons, five 6-in guns *** ''

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the Capital city, capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, List of ...

'' (1918) – torpedoed 1942 *** ''

Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...

'' (1919) – bombed in 1941 *** '' Capetown'' (1919) *** '' Carlisle'' (1918) *** ''

Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo m ...

'' (1918) * ''Danae'' class 4,850 tons, six 6-in guns ** '' Danae'' (1918) ** '' Dauntless'' (1918) ** '' Dragon'' (1918) – scuttled 1944 ** ''

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders ...

'' (1919) ** ''

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

'' (1919) – torpedoed 1941 ** ''

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

'' (1921) – scuttled 1944 ** '' Despatch'' (1922) ** ''

Diomede Diomede (; Ancient Greek: Διομήδη ''Diomēdē'') is the name of four women in Greek mythology: * Diomede, daughter of Xuthus. She married Deioneus, king of Phocis, and was the mother of Cephalus, Actor, Aenetus, Phylacus and Asterodia. ...

'' (1922) * ''Emerald'' class 7,580 tons, seven 6-in guns ** '' Emerald'' (1926) ** ''

Enterprise Enterprise (or the archaic spelling Enterprize) may refer to: Business and economics Brands and enterprises * Enterprise GP Holdings, an energy holding company * Enterprise plc, a UK civil engineering and maintenance company * Enterpris ...

'' (1926) * ''Leander'' class ** ''Leander'' group 7,200 tons, eight 6-in guns *** (1933) – to the

Indian Navy The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates si ...

1948 as the *** ''

Ajax Ajax may refer to: Greek mythology and tragedy * Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero, son of King Telamon and Periboea * Ajax the Lesser, a Greek mythological hero, son of Oileus, the king of Locris * ''Ajax'' (play), by the ancient Gree ...

'' (1935) *** (1933) *** '' Neptune'' (1934) – struck a mine 1941 *** '' Orion'' (1934) ** ''Amphion'' group 6,900 tons, eight 6-in guns *** ''

'' (1936) – to

Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...

1939 as – torpedoed 1942 *** ''

'' (1936) – to RAN 1938 as *** '' Phaeton'' (1935) – to RAN 1935 as – sunk 1941 * ''Arethusa'' class 5,220 tons, six 6-in guns ** '' Arethusa'' (1935) ** ''

'' (1937) – Sold on 19 May 1948 to the

Republic of China Navy The Republic of China Navy (ROCN; ), also called the ROC Navy and colloquially the Taiwan Navy, is the maritime branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces (ROCAF). The service was formerly commonly just called the Chinese Navy during World W ...

** ''

'' (1935) – torpedoed 1941 ** ''

'' (1936) – torpedoed 1944 * Town class ** ''Southampton'' group 9,100 tons, 12 6-in guns *** ''

'' (1937) – sunk 1941 *** ''

'' (1937) *** ''

Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire a ...

'' (1937) ** ''Gloucester'' group 9,400 tons, 12 6-in guns *** ''

'' (1939) – bombed 1941 *** ''

'' (1938) *** ''

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

'' (1938) – sunk 1942 ** ''Edinburgh'' group 10,565 tons, 12 6-in guns *** ''

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

'' (1939) – sunk 1942 *** ''

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...

'' (1939) – Currently a museum ship in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

* ''Dido'' class **''Dido'' group 5,600 tons, ten 5.25-in guns *** ''

'' (1940) – torpedoed 1941 *** ''

'' (1940) *** ''

'' (1941) – torpedoed 1942 *** '' Naiad'' (1940) – torpedoed 1942 *** (1940) *** ''

'' (1941) *** ''

'' (1942) *** '' Charybdis'' (1941) – torpedoed 1943 *** '' Cleopatra'' (1941) *** '' Scylla'' (1942) *** ''

'' (1942) **''Bellona'' group 5,770 tons, eight 5.25-in guns *** '' Bellona'' (1943) – to

Royal New Zealand Navy The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN; mi, Te Taua Moana o Aotearoa, , Sea Warriors of New Zealand) is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. The fleet currently consists of nine ships. The Navy had its origins in the Naval Defence Act ...

1956 *** ''

'' (1943) – to RNZN 1948 *** ''

'' (1943) – to

Pakistani Navy ur, ہمارے لیے اللّٰہ کافی ہے اور وہ بہترین کارساز ہے۔ English: Allah is Sufficient for us - and what an excellent (reliable) Trustee (of affairs) is He!(''Qur'an, 3:173'') , type ...

1956 as *** ''

'' (1943) – to RNZN 1956 *** ''

'' (1943) – bombed 1944 * ** ''Fiji'' group 8,525 tons, 12 6-in guns *** ''

Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = "Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , es ...

'' (1942) *** '' Fiji'' (1940) – bombed 1941 *** (1942) *** ''

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

'' (1942) *** ''

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi ...

'' (1940) *** ''

Mauritius Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label= Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It ...

'' (1941) *** (1940) – to Indian Navy as *** ''

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...

'' (1941) – bombed 1942 ** ''Ceylon'' group 8,875 tons, nine 6-in guns *** (1943) – to Peruvian Navy as 1959 *** '' Newfoundland'' (1943) – to Peruvian Navy as 1959 *** ''

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The sou ...

'' (1943) – to

Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack submar ...

as HMCS ''Quebec'' 1944 * ''Minotaur'' class 8,800 tons, nine 6-in guns ** '' Swiftsure'' (1944) ** '' Minotaur'' (1945) – to Royal Canadian Navy 1945 as ''Ontario'' ** ''

Superb Superb may refer to: *Škoda Superb car *, nine Royal Navy ships *The Superb The ''Superb'' was used as U.S. President Warren G. Harding's personal Pullman railroad car in a cross-country tour in 1923. After Harding's death, the car returned hi ...

'' (1945) * ''Tiger'' class 11,700 tons, four 6-in & six 3-in guns. Laid down during WWII as ''Minotaur'' class ships **''

Tiger The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus ''Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on ...

'' (1959) **'' Lion'' (1960) **''

'' (1961)

Heavy cruisers

The

heavy cruiser The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range and high speed, armed generally with naval guns of roughly 203 mm (8 inches) in caliber, whose design parameters were dictated by the Washington Naval T ...

was defined in the London Naval Treaty of 1930 as a cruiser with a main gun calibre more than 6 inches but not exceeding 8 inches. The earlier ''Hawkins'' class were therefore retrospectively classified as such, although they had been initially built as "improved light cruisers". The County were built as light cruisers with most of them in service at the time of the Treaty of London, after which they were also redesignated as heavy cruisers. A further three Countys were cancelled. The ''York'' class was a reduced version of the County to build more ships within tonnage limits. * ''Hawkins'' class (also known as ''Cavendish'') or 9,860 tons, 7x 7.5-inch ** ''Cavendish'' (1918) – completed as aircraft carrier ''Vindictive'', converted to cruiser in 1925, to training ship 1937 ** '' Hawkins'' (1919) – scrapped 1947 ** ''

Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...

'' (1920) – wrecked 1922 ** '' Frobisher'' (1924) – scrapped 1949 ** '' Effingham'' (1925) – wrecked 1940 * County class, 8x 8-inch ** ''Kent'' group 10,570 tons *** ''Cumberland'' (1928) – scrapped 1959 *** ''Berwick'' (1928) – scrapped 1948 *** ''Cornwall'' (1928) – bombed 1942 *** ''Suffolk'' (1928) – scrapped 1948 *** ''Kent'' (1928) – scrapped 1948 *** '' Australia'' (1928) – Royal Australian Navy, scrapped 1955 *** '' Canberra'' (1928) – Royal Australian Navy, torpedoed 1942 ** ''London'' group 9,830 tons *** ''London'' (1929) – scrapped 1950 *** ''Devonshire'' (1929) – scrapped 1954 *** ''Shropshire'' (1929) – to Royal Australian Navy 1943, scrapped 1955 *** ''Sussex'' (1929) – scrapped 1950 ** ''Norfolk'' group 10,300 tons *** ''Norfolk'' (1930) – scrapped 1950 *** ''Dorsetshire'' (1930) – sunk by dive bombers in Far East 1942 * ''York'' class modified County design 8,250 tons, 6x 8-inch ** ''York'' (1930) – damaged by explosive motor boats, salvage abandoned and wrecked 1941, scrapped 1952 ** ''Exeter'' (1931) – sunk 1942, Far East

Large light cruisers

The "large light cruisers" were a pet project of Admiral Fisher to operate in shallow

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and ...

waters and they are often classed as a form of battlecruiser. * ''Courageous'' or ''Glorious'' class ** ''Glorious'' group 19,320 tons, 4-15in, 18-4in *** ''Glorious'' (77) (1916) – converted to aircraft carrier 1924-1930 *** ''Courageous'' (50) (1916) – converted to aircraft carrier 1924-1928 ** ''Furious'' 19,513 tons, 2-18in, 11-5.5in *** ''Furious'' (47) (1917) – completed as aircraft carrier

Minelaying cruisers

These "minelaying cruisers" were the only purpose-built oceangoing

minelayer A minelayer is any warship, submarine or military aircraft deploying explosive mines. Since World War I the term "minelayer" refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines. "Mine planting" was the term for installing control ...

s of the Royal Navy. The ''Abdiel'' class could reach 38 knots and in practice were used as fast transports to supply isolated garrisons (eg

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

and

Tobruk Tobruk or Tobruck (; grc, Ἀντίπυργος, ''Antipyrgos''; la, Antipyrgus; it, Tobruch; ar, طبرق, Tubruq ''Ṭubruq''; also transliterated as ''Tobruch'' and ''Tubruk'') is a port city on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near ...

) * ''Adventure'' 6,740 tons, 4-4.7in ** ''Adventure'' (M23) (1926) – converted to repair ship 1944, scrapped 1947 * ''Abdiel'' class ** 1938 group 2,650 tons, 6-4in *** ''Abdiel'' (M39) (1941) – sunk in Taranto Bay 1943 *** ''Latona'' (M76) (1941) – sunk off Libya 1941 *** ''Manxman'' (M70) (1941) – scrapped 1972 *** ''Welshman'' (M84) (1941) – sunk off Crete 1943 ** Wartime Emergency Programme group 2,650 tons, 4-4in *** ''Ariadne'' (M65) (1944) – scrapped 1965 *** ''Apollo'' (M01) (1944) – scrapped 1962

Helicopter cruisers

Two ships of the ''Tiger''-class were rebuilt to each operate four helicopters. ''Tiger'' (C20) and Blake (C99) served for part of the 1970s before they were withdrawn from service.

Through deck cruisers

Although at times called "through deck cruisers", the ''Invincible'' class of the 1980s were small aircraft carriers.

First class cruisers

Protected cruisers

Scout cruisers

Light cruisers

Heavy cruisers

Large light cruisers

Minelaying cruisers

Helicopter cruisers

Through deck cruisers

See also