The ''Surprise'' class were two 3rd class

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several operational roles from search-and-destroy to ocean escort to sea ...

s built for the British

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 ...

, and launched in 1885.

Class history

Originally designed as unarmed dispatch ships, they were redesignated as fleet scouts while under construction and fitted with four 5-inch guns, four quick-firing 6-pounders,"6 pounder" refers to approximate weight of projectiles , which was a traditional British way of denoting small guns. and two machine guns. Built by Palmers at

Jarrow Jarrow ( or ) is a town in South Tyneside in the county of Tyne and Wear, England. Historically in County Durham, it is on the south bank of the River Tyne, about from the east coast. The 2011 census area classed Hebburn and the Boldons as ...

, they displaced 1,700 tons, were 250 feet long, 36 feet 6 inches in the beam, and had a draught of 13 feet. Powered by two 2-cylinder

compound Compound may refer to: Architecture and built environments * Compound (enclosure), a cluster of buildings having a shared purpose, usually inside a fence or wall ** Compound (fortification), a version of the above fortified with defensive struc ...

steam engines A steam engine is a heat engine that performs Work (physics), mechanical work using steam as its working fluid. The steam engine uses the force produced by steam pressure to push a piston back and forth inside a Cylinder (locomotive), cyl ...

they were capable of 18 knots, and had a crew of 93.

Ships

HMS ''Surprise''

The ship was laid down on 14 February 1884, launched on 17 January 1885, and completed in June 1885. After her

sister ship A sister ship is a ship of the same Ship class, class or of virtually identical design to another ship. Such vessels share a nearly identical hull and superstructure layout, similar size, and roughly comparable features and equipment. They o ...

was sold in 1913, she was renamed ''Alacrity'', and served during World War I. Sold in 1919.

HMS ''Alacrity''

The ship was laid down on 14 February 1884, launched on 28 February 1885, and completed in July 1885. She saw action during the

Boxer Rebellion The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Boxer Uprising, was an anti-foreign, anti-imperialist, and anti-Christian uprising in North China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty, by the Society of Righteous and Harmonious F ...

, taking part in the capture of the Dagu Forts in June 1900. Sold at Hong Kong in September 1913.

References

;Notes ;Citations {{reflist Cruiser classes Ship classes of the Royal Navy Victorian-era cruisers of the United Kingdom