HMS ''Pandora'' was a of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

. There were eleven "Third class"

protected cruiser Protected cruisers, a type of cruiser of the late 19th century, took their name from the armored deck, which protected vital machine-spaces from fragments released by explosive shells. Protected cruisers notably lacked a belt of armour alon ...

s in the class, which was designed by Sir William White. While well armed for their size, they were primarily workhorses for the overseas fleet on "police" duties and did not serve with the main battlefleet.

Construction details

They displaced 2,135 tons, had a crew complement of 224 men and were armed with eight QF 4 inch (102 mm) (25 pounder) guns, eight 3 pounder guns, three machine guns, and two 18 inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes. With reciprocating triple expansion engines and a variety of boilers, the top speed was .

Service history

HMS ''Pandora'' was laid down at

Portsmouth Dockyard His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth (HMNB Portsmouth) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Devonport). Portsmouth Naval Base is part of the city of Portsmouth; it is loc ...

on 3 January 1898, and launched on 17 January 1900, when she was christened by Mrs. (Mary Elizabeth) Napier, daughter of Admiral Sir Michael Culme-Seymour, Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth (and herself wife of a Royal Navy officer who later became Vice-Admiral Sir Trevylyan Napier). She was commissioned for the 1901 naval maneuvers, then carried out a series of propeller trials at

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...

under Commander

Somerset Gough-Calthorpe Admiral of the Fleet Sir Somerset Arthur Gough-Calthorpe (23 December 1864 – 27 July 1937), sometimes known as Sir Somerset Calthorpe, was a Royal Navy officer and a member of the Gough-Calthorpe family. After serving as a junior officer duri ...

, before she was paid off on 13 September 1901. On 7 November 1901 she was commissioned by Commander John Francis Murray-Aynsley to relieve on the

Mediterranean Station The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a military formation, formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vita ...

, and she arrived at

Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...

early the following month. In June 1902 she visited

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

, and in September that year she was in the

Aegean Sea The Aegean Sea is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It is located between the Balkans and Anatolia, and covers an area of some . In the north, the Aegean is connected to the Marmara Sea, which in turn con ...

visiting

Nauplia Nafplio or Nauplio () is a coastal city located in the Peloponnese in Greece. It is the capital of the regional unit of Argolis and an important tourist destination. Founded in antiquity, the city became an important seaport in the Middle Ages du ...

. In 1906, her Commander was William Sullivan, second son of Admiral

Sir Francis Sullivan, 6th Baronet Admiral (Royal Navy), Admiral Sir Francis William Sullivan, 6th Baronet Order of the Bath, KCB Order of St Michael and St George, CMG (31 May 1834 – 13 May 1906)Date of death from his obituary in ''The Times'', 16 May 1906, p. 12, col. D. was a ...

. ''Pandora'' was sold for scrap in July 1913.

References

''World War I Naval Combat'' webpage

''Miramar Ship Index listing''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pandora (1900) Pelorus-class cruisers of the Royal Navy Ships built in Portsmouth 1900 ships