Cressy Class Cruiser (1899)

The six armoured cruisers of the Cressy Class were completed between 1901 and 1904.

Origin

In a document dated 10 June, 1897, the Director of Naval Construction, William H. White wrote, "The fundamental ideas on which this design is based, are as follows:—"

1. Special adaptation for service in with the Channel & Mediterranean Fleets; & the performance of all duties hitherto devolving on First Class Cruisers attached to Fleets.
2. Capacity for close action, as adjuncts to battleships.
3. Suitability for employment on detached services; if required to be used for the protection shipping, commerce & communications.
4. Armament, protection, speed & coal endurance to be such that the new cruisers should be formidable rivals to the best cruisers built or building for foreign Navies.

Armament

During the war, along with those of other older ships, the eight 6-inch guns casemated on the main deck proved of little use in practical sea states. All were removed and half relocated to the upper deck in spray shields.

Main Battery

This section is sourced in The Sight Manual, 1916.

This section is also pertinent to King Alfred and possibly also to Good Hope.

The two 9.2-in guns Mark X were arranged in single Mark VI mountings fore and aft, able to elevate 13 degrees and depress 5 degrees.

The sights were gear-worked with a range gearing constant of 37.04, graduated to 13 degrees (14,400 yards at full charge) but only able to elevate to 12.5 degrees. Range dials were provided for full charge at 2650 fps, reduced charge at 2150 fps, and 3-pdr sub-calibre and 1-in aiming rifle. MV was corrected by adjustable pointer to +/- 75 fps. The deflection was on a gearing constant of 77.95, 1 knot being 2.61 arc minutes, calibrated for 2643 fps at 5000 yards.

Drift was corrected by inclining the sight carrier 1.5 degrees. The sight lines were 12 inches above the bore, and offset to 45 inches left and 37.5 inches right.

A "C" corrector was fitted, presumably also a temperature corrector.

Secondary Battery

This section is generally sourced in The Sight Manual, 1916 except as noted.

The twelve 6-in BL guns Mark VII were arranged in single mountings on the broadsides. The mountings may have possibly been P III or P IV of first or second series.

The eight guns on the main deck were later removed, with four being resited on the upper deck in spray shields.

[TO BE CONTINUED - TONE]

Fire Control

Dreyer Table

These ships never received Dreyer tables.

Fire Control Instruments

By 1909, the 6 ships in this class were equipped with Vickers, Son and Maxim instruments for range, deflection and orders and with Barr and Stroud rate instruments:

• Vickers range transmitters: 6
• Vickers deflection transmitters: 6
• Vickers combined range and deflection receivers: 23
• Vickers C.O.S.: 3
• Vickers Check fire switches: 6
• Barr and Stroud rate transmitters: 4
• Barr and Stroud rate receivers: 8
• Siemens Fire Gongs (turrets): 4 with 2 keys
• Vickers Fire Gongs (elsewhere): 12 with 4 keys
• Siemens Captain's Cease Fire Bells: 18 with 1 key

These ships lacked Target Visible and Gun Ready signals.

Radio

In 1901, Cressy with the China Squadron and Aboukir in Reserve were listed as having or slated to receive a "1 to 52" W/T set. Based on the push to deploy wireless in such units, it is likely that her sisters were completed with W/T or received them shortly thereafter.^[Inference]

See Also

• Wikipedia

Bibliography

• Template:BibUKTHVol4Part34
• Admiralty, Gunnery Branch (1910). Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1909. Copy No. 173 is Ja 345a at Admiralty Library, Portsmouth, United Kingdom.
• Admiralty, Gunnery Branch (1914). Handbook for Fire Control Instruments, 1914. G. 01627/14. C.B. 1030. Copy 1235 at The National Archives. ADM 186/191.
• Template:BibUKDirectorFiringHandbook1917
• Template:BibUKDreyerTableHandbook1918