HMS Proserpine (1896)

HMS Proserpine at Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1901
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Proserpine
Builder	Sheerness Dockyard
Laid down	March 1896
Launched	5 December 1896
Christened	Lady Nicholson
Fate	Sold for scrap, 30 November 1919
General characteristics
Class and type	Pelorus-class cruiser
Displacement	2,135 long tons (2,169 t)
Length	313 ft 6 in (95.55 m) o/a 300 ft (91 m) p/p
Beam	36 ft 6 in (11.13 m)
Draught	16 ft (4.9 m)
Propulsion	Triple expansion engine, 2 shafts, 5,000 ihp (3,728 kW)
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement	224
Armament	8 × QF 4 in (100 mm) guns 8 × QF 3-pounder guns 2 × 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour	Deck: 1+1⁄2–2 in (38–51 mm) deck Gunshields: 1⁄4 in (6.4 mm) Conning tower: 3 in (76 mm)

HMS Proserpine was a Pelorus-class cruiser of the Royal Navy. There were eleven "Third class" protected cruisers 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.

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 20 knots (37 km/h).