HMS ''Pyramus'' was a

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 r ...

of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...

. There were eleven "Third class" protected cruisers in the class, which was designed by

Sir William White Sir William Henry White, (2 February 1845 – 27 February 1913) was a prolific British warship designer and Chief Constructor at the Admiralty. Biography White was born in Devonport, the son of Robert White, a currier, and his wife, Jane M ...

. 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. 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 tube A torpedo tube is a cylindrical device for launching torpedoes. There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units (also referred to as torpedo launchers) installed abo ...

s. With reciprocating triple expansion engines and a variety of boilers, the top speed was . HMS ''Pyramus'' was laid down at

Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company Limited, often referred to simply as "Palmers", was a British shipbuilding company. The Company was based in Jarrow, County Durham, in north-eastern England, and also had operations in Hebburn and Willin ...

Jarrow Jarrow ( or ) is a town in South Tyneside in the county of Tyne and Wear, England. It is east of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is situated on the south bank of the River Tyne, about from the east coast. It is home to the southern portal of the ...

in May 1896, and launched on 15 May 1897. She served in various colonial posts, including in the

Mediterranean Fleet The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a 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 vital sea link between t ...

in 1901–02. Commander

Alfred Ernest Albert Grant Admiral (Royal Navy), Admiral Alfred Ernest Albert Grant (10 April 1861 – 14 August 1933) was a Royal Navy officer. During the First World War, he played an important role in shipbuilding. Grant was the sixth son of John Glasgow Grant, CMG, som ...

was appointed in command on 2 August 1901. In October

1902 Events January * January 1 ** The Nurses Registration Act 1901 comes into effect in New Zealand, making it the first country in the world to require state registration of nurses. On January 10, Ellen Dougherty becomes the world's f ...

she was reported to be visiting Suda Bay at

Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cypru ...

. In 1914 she formed part of the escort for the New Zealand Force which occupied German Samoa (now

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...

). In July 1915 she was present at the Rufiji river delta action when the monitors and destroyed the German cruiser . She was sold for scrap on 21 April 1920.

Commanding officers

* Commander John Michael de Robeck - ''in March 1901'' * Commander Arthur Ernest Albert Grant - 2 August 1901

Notes

References

''World War I Naval Combat'' webpage

''Miramar Ship Index listing''
* Imperial War Museum Book of the War at Sea 1914–1918. * Gardiner, Robert, ed. ''Conways All the Worlds Fighting Ships 1860-1905''. New York: Mayflower Books Inc., 1979. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Pyramus (1897) Pelorus-class cruisers of the Royal Navy Ships built on the River Tyne 1897 ships World War I cruisers of the United Kingdom