HMS Amphion (1883)

The Amphion's sister ship Leander in 1897
Career (UK)
Name:	HMS Amphion
Ordered:	1880 [1]
Builder:	Pembroke dockyard [2]
Laid down:	25 April 1881 [2]
Launched:	13 October 1883 [2][3]
Commissioned:	5 July 1887 [2][4]
Decommissioned:	25 May 1904 [5]
Fate:	Sold 1906 [2]
General characteristics
Class and type:	Leander-class second-class partially protected cruiser
Displacement:	4,300 tons (4,400 tonnes) load.[2][3]
Tons burthen:	3,750 tons (B.O.M.).[6]
Length:	300 ft (91.44 m) between perpendiculars.[2] 315 ft 96.01 m) overall.[2][3]
Beam:	46 ft (14.02 m).[2][3]
Draught:	20 feet 8 inches (6.30 m) aft, 19 feet 6 inches (5.94 m) forward with 950 tons (970 tonnes) of coal and complete with stores and provisions.[7]
Propulsion:	Sails and screw. Two shafts. Two cylinder horizontal direct acting compound engines, 12 cylindrical boilers, 5,500 IHP.[2][3]
Speed:	16.5 knots designed [2] 17-18 knots after funnels raised [2]
Range:	11,000 nmi at 10 knots.[2] 725 tons coal normal, 1000 tons maximum = c. 6,000 nmi at economical speed.[8]
Complement:	(1885): 275 [7][9]
Armament:	(1885): 10 x 6-inch Breechloading guns 8 1-inch Nordenfelt guns 2 5-barrel and 2 2-barrel 0.45-in machineguns 4 above water torpedo dischargers.[7]
Armour:	1.5 in (40mm) steel armoured deck (with sloped sides) over 165 ft.[2][8] 1.5 in (40mm) gun shields.[2][8]
Notes:	Carried 2 second class torpedo boats.[7] Carried 7-pdr and 9-pdr boat guns and field guns.[7]

HMS Amphion was a second class cruiser of the Leander Class which served with the Royal Navy. She was built at Pembroke Dockyard, being laid down in 1881, launched in 1883 and completed in financial year 1885-86, and then lay in ordinary at Devonport. She was commissioned for the 1887 and 1888 annual manoeuvres. She was recommissioned in December 1888 served in the Pacific until 1890, in the Mediterranean from 1890 to 1895, in ordinary in Devonport from 1895 to 1897 and in the Pacific once more from 1897 to 1904, having a refit in 1900.

Construction

The Amphion was built at Pembroke Dockyard, and completed in financial year 1885-86.^[10]

The December 1885 Navy List, listed the Amphion as at Devonport, with her commissioned and warrant officers borne in the Nanking as follows:^[6]

Sea-going career

Annual manoeuvres 1887

The Amphion was commissioned for the annual manoeuvres on 5 July 1887, and paid off on 31 August 1887.^[4]

Annual manoeuvres 1888

The Amphion was commissioned for the annual manoeuvres on 4 July 1888, and paid off on 31 August 1888.^[11] In the manoeuvres, hostilities broke out at noon on 24 July 1888, and ended at noon on 20 August.^[12]

In the manoeuvres, Vice Admiral John K.E. Baird's force represented the British fleet, and England, Scotland and Wales were considered friendly to the British fleet and hostile to the enemy. Opposing Baird was the 'Achill' fleet, led by Rear Admiral George Tryon, and based in Berehaven on the south-west coast of Ireland and Lough Swilly on the north coast. All Irish territory was considered hostile to the British fleet and friendly to the enemy. At the outset Baird's fleet was concentrated on keeping Tryon's fleet shut up in their base ports. They failed. Both Tryon and his second in command broke the blockade on 4 August, and swooping round the extremities of Ireland, made a descent on British commerce and British ports.^[12]

The Amphion was part of Rear Admiral George Tryon's 'Achill' fleet. "The Amphion left Lough Swilly with the [new battleship] Rodney, and broke the blockade with her on the night of 4th-5th August. During her cruize in the Channel and up the East Coast of Great Britain she claims the destruction of much shipping; and the capture of the coastguard stations at Scarborough and Wick, also, after leaving Lough Swilly the second time, to have visited Bude with a hostile purpose.

As Scarborough had already been attacked by Severn five days earlier, her visit there could not have been of much effect, neither does it seem that nay useful purpose was served on the occasion of her visit to Wick, as she was taken there in order that her captain might telegraph to the Achill Admiral through the enemy's wires, an impossible condition in wartime. In no case, according to her log, does it appear that the Rules as to Capture of shipping were adhered to."^[13]

1888-1892

The Amphion was commissioned at Devonport by Captain Edward G. Hulton on 11 December 1888.^[14][15] The January 1889 Navy List, listed the Amphion as at Devonport, fitting out for service on the Pacific Station,^[15] and listed her commissioned and warrant officers as follows:^[15]

1892-1895

The Amphion was re-commissioned at Malta, by Captain John R.E. Pattisson, on 26 January 1892.^[16][17][18] The January 1892 Navy List listed her commissioned and warrant officers as follows:^[17]

For reasons that are not obvious, on 9 March 1894, Arthur Forwood, the MP for Ormskirk asked the Secretary to the Admiralty to "state the total number of days H.M.S. Amphion, Camperdown, Dreadnought, Edinburgh, Royal Sovereign, and Rodney were each out of harbour and at sea during the 12 months ending the 30th September last, and the total number of knots they traversed, with their aggregate complement of men and officers". The Secretary To The Admiralty Sir Ughtred Kay-Shuttleworth (MP for Clitheroe) agreed to provide the information.^[19]

1895-1897

The Amphion laid in ordinary at Devonport from 1 March 1895 to 6 January 1897.^[20]

1897-1900

The Amphion was commissioned at Devonport by Captain Frank Finnis, on 7 January 1897^[21][22] She served on the Pacific Station. She paid off at Devonport on 13 February 1900,^[23] Captain Finnis was appointed to the Collingwood.^[24]

The January 1898 Navy List listed her commissioned and warrant officers as follows:^[22]

1900 refit

The Amphion was refitted at Devonport immediately after she paid off. On 25 February 1900 it was reported that: "The refit of the Amphion at Devonport is to be completed at the earliest possible date. Although the cruiser only paid off last week she has been dismantled and the work is well advanced. She only recently returned from the Pacific station, and it is understood she is to be sent back to that station to relieve the Phaëton or the Leander, which will complete their three years/ commission in June. The Amphion's engines and boilers are in capital condition, although she has served over nine years on foreign stations, and it is believed that her refit can be carried out for £3,000 less than the sum provided for it."^[24]

1900-1904

The Amphion was commissioned at Devonport by Captain John Casement, on 20 September 1900.^[25][26] She served on the Pacific Station. This commission was the subject of a book in the 'Log' series, entitled: HMS Amphion, Pacific Station, 1901-1904.

The March 1901 Navy List listed her commissioned and warrant officers as follows:^[26]

Disposal

The Amphion was sold in 1906.^[2]

References

• The Naval Annual, various issues.
• Brown, David K. Warrior to Dreadnought, Warship Development 1860–1905, published Chatham Publishing, 1997. ISBN 1 86176 022 1
• Blueprints
• Chesneau, Roger, and Eugene M. Kolesnik, eds. All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905, published Conway Maritime Press, 1979. ISBN 0-8317-0302-4
• Jane, Fred T All the World's Fighting Ships, 1900
• Lyon, David and Winfield, Rif The Sail and Steam Navy List, All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815-1889, published Chatham, 2004, ISBN 1-86176-032-9

Footnotes

1. ^ Lyon & Winfield The Sail and Steam Navy List, All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815-1889 pages 270-271
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p} Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905, page 75.
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} www.worldnavalships.com Leander class
4. ^ ^{a b} The Amphion's first logbook covers 5 July 1887 to 31 August 1887, and is UK National Archives catalogue reference ADM 53/12451
5. ^ The Amphion's final logbook covers 1 August 1903 to 25 May 1904, and is UK National Archives catalogue reference ADM 53/17022
6. ^ ^{a b} Navy List,December 1884, page 230.
7. ^ ^{a b c d e} Log of HMS Leander 29 May 1885 – 22 May 1886, UK National Archives file ADM 53/14282
8. ^ ^{a b c} Jane, All the World's Fighting Ships, 1900, page 102.
9. ^ Conway's lists her complement as 278, which appears to be an error. See Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905, page 75.
10. ^ Navy Estimates for the Year 1889-90, page 281.
11. ^ The Amphion's second logbook covers 4 July 1888 to 31 August 1888, and is UK National Archives catalogue reference ADM 53/12452
12. ^ ^{a b} New York Times, 2 July 1893, Tryon's brilliant tactics; dazing his opponents in the manoeuvres of 1888
13. ^ The Naval Annual, 1888-89 – extracts from the report of the committee on the naval manoeuvres, 1888, pages 422.
14. ^ The UK National Archives has logbooks for the Amphion covering 11 December 1888 to 25 January 1892, catalogue reference ADM 53/12453-12454.
15. ^ ^{a b c} Navy List, January 1889, corrected to 20 December 1888, page 194
16. ^ The UK National Archives has logbooks for the Amphion covering 26 January 1892 to 28 February 1895, catalogue reference ADM 53/12455-12457.
17. ^ ^{a b} Navy List, January 1892, corrected to 20 December 1891, pages 197-98.
18. ^ Navy List, January 1895, corrected to 18th December 1894, page 198.
19. ^ Hansard HC Deb 19 March 1894 vol 22 c575 IRONCLADS AT SEA.
20. ^ The UK National Archives does not have logbooks for the Amphion for the period 1 March to 6 January 1897 listed in its catalogue.
21. ^ The UK National Archives has logbooks for the Amphion covering 7 January 1897 to 13 February 1900, catalogue reference ADM 53/12458-12461.
22. ^ ^{a b} Navy List, January 1898, corrected to 13th December 1897, page 198.
23. ^ The UK National Archives has a logbook for the Amphion covering 7 January 1900 to 13 February 1900, catalogue reference ADM 53/12461. The next logbook is ADM 53/12462, which covers from 20 September 1900 to 20 September 1901.
24. ^ ^{a b} www.pbenyon.plus.com Naval Database Amphion, 1883.
25. ^ The UK National Archives has logbooks for the Amphion covering 20 September to 25 May 1904, catalogue reference ADM 53/12462-12463 and 17021-17022.
26. ^ ^{a b} Navy List, March 1901, corrected to 18 February 1901, page 223.

Amphion Logbooks in the UK National Archives

Some text and images from HMS Amphion (1883) at Wikipedia under the GFDL licence. 48109 bytes, 2010-09-07