HMS Melampus (1890)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Melampus.

History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Melampus
NamesakeMelampus
BuilderVickers, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down1889[1]
Launched2 August 1890
FateSold on 1 January 1910[2]
General characteristics
Class and typeApollo-class protected cruiser
Beam43 ft 8 in (13.31 m)[3]
Draught17 ft 6 in (5.33 m)
Speed19.7 knots (36.5 km/h; 22.7 mph)[3]
Complement273[2] to 275[3]
Armament

HMS Melampus was an Apollo-class protected cruiser of the Royal Navy which served from 1890 to 1910.

History

Melampus in the harbour of Kingstown, County Dublin
Melampus in 1892.

In 1890, building by the Naval Construction and Armaments Co, later known as Vickers, commenced. Melampus was originally ordered and built for the Greek navy.[4]

In 1891, when Prince George of Wales (the future King George V) was promoted to commander, he assumed command of Melampus. He relinquished his post in January 1892, on the death of his brother Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale.[5]

On 5 July 1892, in Portsmouth, Melampus carried out trials of her machinery and other equipment, following which she swung her compasses at Spithead. She later departed on 7 July for Plymouth and Falmouth.[6]

On 26 June 1897, she was present at the Naval Review at Spithead in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee.[6]

On 16 January 1901, she accidentally grounded HMS Sybille.[2]

She took part in the fleet review held at Spithead on 16 August 1902 for the coronation of King Edward VII,[7] and later that month was off Ireland where she received the Japanese cruisers Asama and Takasago to Cork.[8]

In 1903 Melampus was withdrawn as guard ship at Kingstown in Ireland.[9]

On 12 July 1910, Melampus was sold for scrap for £9,000.[10]

References

  1. ^ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 76.
  2. ^ a b c "HMS Melampus 1890". navalhistory.flixco.info.
  3. ^ a b c "HMS Melampus".
  4. ^ NYC. "Return of an "Old Friend" - NYC".
  5. ^ "George V of Britain - Encyclopedia".
  6. ^ a b "Melampus, 1890". Archived from the original on 4 January 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  7. ^ "The Coronation - Naval Review". The Times. No. 36845. London. 13 August 1902. p. 4.
  8. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36852. London. 21 August 1902. p. 8.
  9. ^ Lowth, Cormac F. (2014). "Guard-Ships at Kingstown". Dun Laoghaire Journal. 23: 10–19.
  10. ^ "Naval Matters – Past and Prospective: Portsmouth Dockyard". The Marine Engineer and Naval Architect. Vol. 33. August 1910. p. 10.

Publications

Media related to HMS Melampus (ship, 1890) at Wikimedia Commons


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