British 1st class armoured cruiser HMS Australia 1885-1905

Orlando-class

Blake-class

Part of the Orlando-class consisting of the Orlando, Aurora, Australia, Galatea, Immortalite, Narcissus and Undaunted, preceded by the Imperieuse-class and succeeded by the Blake-class. Laid down by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering, Govan, Scotland on 21 April 1885, launched on 25 November 1886, completed on 11 October 1888, reserve since 1903 and sold to be broken up on 4 April 1905.

General technical class specifications. With a displacement of 5.600 tons and as dimensions 91 x 17 x 6,9 metres of 300 x 56 x 22,5 feet. The machinery consisted of -cylinder triple expansion steam engines and 4 double ended boilers supplying via 2 shafts a machinery of 5.500-8.500 (with forced draught) hp resulting a speed of 17 (with natural draught)-18 (with forced draught) knots allowing with a speed of 10 knots a range of 10.000 nautical miles. Their crew numbered 484 men. The armour consisted of a 25cm/10” thick belt with the conning tower protected by 30cm/12” thick armour. The armament consisted of 2x1-23,37cm/9.2” breech loading guns, 6x1-15,24cm/6” breech loading guns, 6x1-5,7cm/6pd quick firing guns, 10x1-4,7cm/3pd Hotchkiss quick firing guns and 6045cm/18” torpedo tubes (4 surfaced broadside and submerged 1 bow and 1 stern).