HMS Orion (1879)

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

Orion and crew in a dock of the Tanjong Pagar Dock Co. Ltd. in Singapore
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Orion
BuilderSamuda Brothers, Cubitt Town
Laid down1875
Launched23 January 1879
Completed3 July 1882
FateBroken up 1913
General characteristics
Class and typeBelleisle-class ironclad
Displacement4,870 tons
Length245 ft (75 m) p/p
Beam52 ft (16 m)
Draught21 ft (6.4 m)
Propulsion
  • Two-shaft Maudslay horizontal
  • I.H.P.= 4,040
Speed12.2 kn (22.6 km/h)
Complement249
Armament
Armour
  • Belt: 6 in (150 mm)–12 in (300 mm)
  • Battery: 8 in (200 mm)–10 in (250 mm)
  • Conning tower: 9 in (230 mm)
  • Decks: 1 in (25 mm)–3 in (76 mm)

HMS Orion was a Belleisle-class ironclad of the Victorian Royal Navy. Originally constructed for the Ottoman Empire, and called Bourdjou-Zaffer, she was purchased by the British Government before completion.

She was designed by the Ottoman naval architect Ahmed Pasha and built by Samuda Brothers at Cubitt Town, London under contract for the Ottoman Empire. However, in 1878 she was purchased by the British Government whilst still under construction, in a reaction to the war between the Ottoman Empire and Russia. Her sister, HMS Belleisle, which was purchased at the same time in an essentially complete state, was modified so as to fit in, as far as possible, with contemporary design in the Royal Navy. Orion, being less advanced in construction at the time of her purchase, was ultimately completed along the same lines.

Her original design called for four 10-inch muzzle-loading rifles in a centrally located box battery, but this plan was upgraded to four 12-inch (305 mm) guns during her building. She, and Belleisle were the only British ships ever to mount 12-inch calibre artillery deployed to fire only on the broadside. It was possible, because of the provision of appropriate embrasures in the battery, to bring at least one gun to bear at any angle; proponents of the turret system of armament pointed out that in the turret system two, or possibly four guns could be made to bear on the same target.