View source for Gem Class Cruiser (1903)

The four [[Third Class Cruiser|third class cruisers]] of the '''Gem Class''' were completed in 1904 and 1905.  They were occasionally referred to as the ''Topaze'' class.

Despite their relatively early construction dates, they proved suitable as scout cruisers attached to Battle Squadrons.

<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 4 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-Amethyst}}
|[[Armstrong, Whitworth & Company]], Elswick
|7 Jan, 1903
|5 Nov, 1903
|17 Mar, 1905
|Sold 1 Oct, 1920
|- align=left
| {{Template:UK-1Diamond}}
|[[Laird]], Birkenhead
|24 Mar, 1903
|6 Jan, 1904
|Jan, 1905
|Sold 9 May, 1921
|- align=left
| {{Template:UK-Sapphire}}
|[[Palmer Shipbuilding and Iron Company]], Jarrow
|30 Mar, 1903
|17 Mar, 1904
|7 Feb, 1905
|Sold 9 May, 1921
|- align=left
| {{Template:UK-Topaze}}
|[[Laird]], Birkenhead
|14 Aug, 1902
|23 Jul, 1903
|Nov, 1904
|Sold 22 Sep, 1921
|}
</div name=fredbot:ships>
==Armament==
In early 1913, new pattern G. 329 trainer's telescopes of 2.5 power and 20 degree field were issued to these and many other capital ships, to replace the 5/12, 5/15 and 5/21 variable power G.S. telescopes that had previously been in use.<ref>Admiralty Weekly Orders.  28 Feb, 1913.  {{TNA|ADM 182/4}}.</ref>
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==Fire Control==

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

===Gunnery Control===
[[File:FireControlInstruments1909Plate53.jpg|thumb|300px|'''Telaupad Control Scheme'''{{HFCI1909|Plate 53}} ]]

The ships were hard-wired for [[Telaupad]] control.  Five [[Navyphone]]s and fire gongs on flexible cables were to be placed in any convenient position for controlling the armament in whole or in part.  Six group officer's navyphones were also provided.
The flying bridge housed 4 [[COS]]es.{{HFCI1909|p. 51, Plate 53}}

By 1914, they were also provided [[Voicepipe]]s, possibly with one for gun control and a second for torpedo control.{{HFCI1914|p. 67}}

====Control Positions====

====Control Groups====
Four groupings were possible for the forward guns:{{HFCI1909|p. 51}}
* The three foremost broadside guns in 2 groups, port and starboard, with forecastle gun as third group.
* Number 2 and 3 broadside gun in two groups, port and starboard, with Number 1 broadside gun and fore gun as third group.
* As 1, but with forecastle gun in port group
* As 1, but with forecastle gun in starboard group

The aft guns had simpler groupings:
* broadside guns 4 and 5 in 2 groups, port and starboard, quarterdeck gun with port group.
* Same as above, but quarterdeck gun with starboard group.

Control was largely by [[Telaupad]]s and [[Fire Gong]]s positioned at each gun, with six Navyphones being provided for group officers.
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===Directors===

====Main Battery====

====Secondary Battery====

===Torpedo Control===

===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===
The ships were equipped for [[Voicepipe]], [[Navyphone]], [[Telaupad]] and [[Fire Gong]] control.{{HFCI1914|p. 67}}{{HFCI1909|p. 51}}

==See Also==
{{refbegin}}
{{WP|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topaze_class_cruiser_(1903)}}
{{refend}}

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
{{refend}}

{{Footer Gem Class Cruiser (1903)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gem}}

{{CatClassThirdClassProtectedCruiser|UK}}


<!-- data

nat=UK
cat=ThirdClassProtectedCruiser
type=third class protected cruiser

chain=Minor Cruisers

{ship
name=Amethyst
pend=P.00 (1914)<br>P.02 (Jan 1918){{DittColl|p. 43}}
builder=[[Armstrong, Whitworth & Company]], Elswick{{Conways1860|p. 84}}
order=
laid=7 1 03{{Conways1860|p. 84}}
launch=5 11 1903{{Conways1860|p. 84}}
comm=17 3 05{{Conways1860|p. 84}}
fate=Sold
fate2=to J. W. Towers, Milford Haven{{DittColl|p. 43}}
fatedate=1 10 20{{DittColl|p. 43}}
}

{ship
name=Diamond
pend=N.61 (1914)<br>N.33 (Jan 1918)<br>32 (Apr 1918)<br>N.70 (Jun 1918){{DittColl|p. 43}}
builder=[[Laird]], Birkenhead{{Conways1860|p. 84}}
order=
laid=24 3 03{{Conways1860|p. 84}}
launch=6 1 1904{{Conways1860|p. 84}}
comm=Jan 1905{{Conways1860|p. 84}}
fate=Sold
fate2=to Ward, Grays{{DittColl|p. 43}}
fatedate=9 5 21{{DittColl|p. 43}}
}

{ship
name=Sapphire
pend=N.78 (1914)<br>N.89 (Jan 1918){{DittColl|p. 43}}
builder=[[Palmer Shipbuilding and Iron Company]], Jarrow{{Conways1860|p. 84}}
order=
laid=30 3 1903{{Conways1860|p. 84}}
launch=17 3 1904{{Conways1860|p. 84}}
comm=7 2 1905{{Conways1860|p. 84}}
fate=Sold
fate2="
fatedate="
}

{ship
name=Topaze
pend=P.29 (1914)<br>P.2A (Sep 1915)<br>P.1C (Jan 1918){{DittColl|p. 43}}
builder=[[Laird]], Birkenhead{{Conways1860|p. 84}}
order=
laid=14 8 02{{Conways1860|p. 84}}
launch=23 7 1903{{Conways1860|p. 84}}
comm=Nov 1904{{Conways1860|p. 84}}
fate=Sold
fate2=to Cohen{{DittColl|p. 43}}
fatedate=22 9 21{{DittColl|p. 43}}
}



data -->