View source for Bristol Class Cruiser (1909)

The five [[Light Cruiser|light cruisers]] of the '''Bristol Class''' were completed by 1911.

They were sometimes treated as the first sub-type of the encompassing [[Town Class Cruiser (1909)|"Town Class"]] which also included the four [[Weymouth Class Cruiser (1910)|''Weymouth'']], six [[Chatham Class Cruiser (1911)|''Chatham'']], four [[Birmingham Class Cruiser (1913)|''Birmingham'' class]] and two [[Birkenhead Class Cruiser (1915)|''Birkenhead'' class]] cruisers.

<div name=fredbot:ships>
{| class="wikitable collapsible" border=2 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 style="margin: 0 0 1em 0.5em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse;" align=center;
|-
! colspan=6 align=left|Overview of 5 vessels
|-
| colspan=6 align=left|<small>Citations for this data available on individual ship pages</small>
|-
! align=center | Name 
! align=center | Builder 
! align=center | Laid Down 
! align=center | Launched 
! align=center | Completed 
! align=center | Fate
|- align=left
| {{Template:UK-Bristol}}
|[[John Brown & Company]]
|23 Mar, 1909
|23 Feb, 1910
|Dec, 1910
|Sold 9 May, 1921
|- align=left
| {{Template:UK-1Glasgow}}
|[[Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company]]
|25 Mar, 1909
|30 Sep, 1909
|Sep, 1910
|Sold 29 Apr, 1927
|- align=left
| {{Template:UK-1Gloucester}}
|[[William Beardmore & Company]]
|15 Apr, 1909
|28 Oct, 1909
|Oct, 1910
|Sold 9 May, 1921
|- align=left
| {{Template:UK-1Liverpool}}
|[[Vickers]]
|17 Feb, 1909
|30 Oct, 1909
|Oct, 1910
|Sold 8 Nov, 1921
|- align=left
| {{Template:UK-1Newcastle}}
|[[Armstrong, Whitworth & Company]]
|14 Apr, 1909
|25 Nov, 1909
|Sep, 1910
|Sold 9 May, 1921
|}
</div name=fredbot:ships>

==Binoculars==
In September 1914, the ships were allowed five additional pairs of Pattern 343 Service Binoculars.{{AWO1914|331 of 8 Sep, 1914}}

==Armament==

===6-in Guns===

===4-in Guns===
This section is sourced in ''The Sight Manual, 1916''.{{TheSightM|pp. 86, 108, Plate 39}}

Ten 4-in B.L. Mark VII guns on P. IV* mountings were arranged for broadside fire.

The mounting could elevate 15 degrees and depress 10 degrees, but though its sight could match the 15 degree elevation, the range dial was only graduated to 11.5 degrees (10,000 yards).

These cam-worked sights had range dials for 2750 fps, and 1-in and .303-in aiming rifles.  M.V. could be corrected by adjustable pointer through +/- 150 fps.

All ships had {{FTP}} sights except {{UK-1Gloucester}}, whose earlier series sights (like those in the ''Colossus'' class) lacked this feature.

The deflection gearing constant was 64.277 with 1 knot equal to 2.41 arc minutes, corresponding to 2800 fps at 2000 yards.  Drift was corrected by inclining the sight 2 degrees.

The layer's sight line was 13.73 inches above the bore, and 15.85 inches left.  The trainer's sight line was 15.08 inches above and 14.9 inches right.

The sight had a temperature correcting scale plate and a "C" corrector.

The layer had an open sight.  The trainer's sight could be used as a [[Free Trainer's Sight|free sight]] with a counterweight.

In February, 1913, the 4-in mountings, and possibly also the 6-in ones, were to have illumination added for their training index racers.<ref>Admiralty Weekly Orders. {{TNA|ADM 182/4}}.  21 Feb, 1913 entries.  pp. 3-4.</ref>  In August of that 1913, [[Portsmouth Royal Dockyard]] was to supply head rests for these guns, to be fitted in the dockyard when the opportunity arose.{{AWO1913|470 of 22 Aug, 1913}}

In October 1913, it was decided that the mountings (possibly also the 6-in guns) for all ships but {{UK-Bristol}} should also have buzzers for their firing circuits.{{AWO1913|569 of 17 Oct, 1913}}

===Torpedoes===
Two 18-in submerged broadside tubes aft, 4.5 feet below the load waterline, depressed 3 degrees with the axis of the tube 14.75 inches above the deck.<ref>''Addenda (1911) to Torpedo Manual, Vol. III., 1909'', p. 155.</ref>

In 1913, it was approved, as part of a general reallocation of 18-in torpedoes, to replace the torpedoes on [[Minotaur Class Cruiser (1906)|''Minotaur'' class]] (except ''Shannon''), [[Duke of Edinburgh Class Cruiser (1904)|''Duke of Edinburgh'']] and [[Bristol Class Cruiser (1909)|''Bristol'' classes]] with F III**  torpedoes.{{ARTS1913|p. 8}}

In 1915, it was a source of complaint that ''Gloucester'' and ''Liverpool'' still lacked heater torpedoes.{{ARTS1915|p. 58}}  They were rearmed with 18-in Mark VII*** torpedoes in that same year.{{ARTS1915|p. 59}}

==Fire Control==

===Mechanical Aid-to-Spotter===
As late as 1920, these ships were not equipped, generally being the most modern light cruisers (except the ''Centaurs'') to fail to make the cut.{{UKManGun1920III|p. 35}}

===Range Dials===
As of 1920, it appears that none of the ships had been so equipped.<ref>absent from ''Manual of Gunnery of H.M. Fleet, Volume III, 1920'', p. 45.</ref>

===Rangefinders===

By June 1918, it was determined that the "Town" class cruisers would probably eventually carry two 12-foot and one 9-foot rangefinders.{{GFGTO|21/6/1918, p. 116}}

===Evershed Bearing Indicators===
This equipment was unlikely to have been fitted for gun or searchlight control.{{FCHMShips|p. 29}}

===Gunnery Control===

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===Transmitting Stations===
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===Dreyer Table===
These ships had no fire control tables.<ref>absent from list in ''Handbook of Capt. F.C. Dreyer's Fire Control Tables'', p. 3.</ref>

===Fire Control Instruments===
In 1909, it was planned that all five ships in this class were to be completed with the latest [[Vickers F.T.P. Fire Control Instruments Mark II ]] as follows:{{HFCI1909|pp. 57, 60}}{{ARTS1909|p. 148}}
* Range Transmitters:  4
* Deflection Transmitters:  4
* Range Receivers:  12
* Deflection Receivers:  12
* C.O.S.: 1
* Vickers Fire Gongs: 12 with 4 keys

However, ''Gloucester'''s 4-in gun sights could not accomodate FTP.{{TheSightM|p. 86}}

In February 1913, it was decided that the [[Weymouth Class Cruiser (1910)|Weymouth]] and [[Bristol Class Cruiser (1909)|Bristol class]] light cruisers (except {{UK-1Falmouth}}) should have improved voice pipes installed for fire control upon their next refit.<ref>{{TNA|ADM 182/4}}. 7th Feb., 1912, p. 4.</ref>

None of the ships had ''Target Visible'' or ''Gun Ready'' signals.{{HFCI1914|p. 11}}

In mid-1913 it was approved that these ships receive a [[Mark III Dumaresq]], Pattern 760.{{AWO1913|283 of 6 June, 1913}}

By mid-1918, the "Town" class cruisers were to receive two "Graham type" bearing transmitters in their spotting tops.  The ''Bristols'', however, were apparently not to receive range repeat receivers that were being issued to the others.{{ARTS1917|p. 230}}

==Torpedo Control==
In 1916, it was decided that all light cruisers of ''Bristol'' class and later should have torpedo firing keys (Pattern 2333) fitted on the fore bridge, in parallel with those in the CT, and that a flexible voice pipe be fitted between these positions.  Additionally, those with submerged tubes were to be equipped with gyro angle and order instruments from fore bridge (and after control position, if present) to the tubes.  ''Bristol'' class already has (or will have) Barr and Stroud for this purpose.{{ARTS1916|p. 146}}

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
*{{HFCI1909}}
*{{DreyerH}}
{{refend}}

==See Also==
{{WP|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_class_cruiser_(1910)#Bristol_class}}

{{Footer Bristol Class Cruiser (1909)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bristol}}

{{CatClassLightCruiser|UK}}


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