HMS Victoria (1887)

34°32′N 35°50′E / 34.533°N 35.833°E / 34.533; 35.833

History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Victoria
NamesakeQueen Victoria
BuilderArmstrong, Mitchell & Co. Elswick yard
Cost£845,000
Yard number490
Laid down13 June 1885
Launched9 April 1887
CommissionedMarch 1890
Nickname(s)
FateAccidentally rammed and sunk, 22 June 1893
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeVictoria-class battleship
Displacement11,020 long tons (11,197 t)
Length340 ft (100 m)
Beam70 ft (21 m)
Draught26 ft 9 in (8.15 m)
Installed power
  • 8,000 ihp (6,000 kW) (natural draught)
  • 14,482 ihp (10,799 kW) (forced draught)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 16 kn (18 mph; 30 km/h) (natural draught)
  • 17.3 kn (19.9 mph; 32.0 km/h) (forced draught)
Complement430; as flagship: 583
Armament
Armour
  • Belt: 18 in (46 cm)
  • Bulkheads: 16 in (41 cm)
  • Turrets: 17 in (43 cm)
  • Redoubt: 18 in (46 cm)
  • Forward screen to battery: 6 in (15 cm)
  • After screen to battery: 3 in (7.6 cm)
  • Conning Tower: 14 in (36 cm) (sides), 2 in (5.1 cm) (top)
  • Deck: 3 in (7.6 cm)
Service record
Part of: Mediterranean Fleet
Commanders: Captain Maurice Bourke

HMS Victoria was the lead ship in her class of two battleships of the Royal Navy. On 22 June 1893, she collided with HMS Camperdown near Tripoli, Lebanon, during manoeuvres and quickly sank, killing 358 crew members, including the commander of the British Mediterranean Fleet, Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon.[4] One of the survivors was executive officer John Jellicoe, later commander-in-chief of the British Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland.

  1. ^ Hough, pp. 47–48.
  2. ^ Hough, p. 48.
  3. ^ Chesneau, Koleśnik & Campbell 1979, p. 30.
  4. ^ "The Mediterranean Disaster". The Times: 11. 24 June 1893.