British protected cruiser 1st class HMS (ex-Centaur 1890) Royal Arthur 1890-1921

Blake-class

Edgar-class

Powerful-class

Part of the Edgar-class consisting of the Edgar, Hawke, Endymion, Royal Arthur (ex-Centaur), Gibraltar, Grafton, St. George, Theseus and Crescent, preceded by the Blake-class and succeeded by the Powerful-class. Built under the Naval Defence Act of 1889. Laid down as Centaur by Portsmouth Dockyard, England on 20 January 1890, renamed Royal Arthur before launching, launched on 26 February 1891, completed on 2 March 1893, guard ship at Scapa Flow and later submarine depot ship between 1914-1918, paid off in 1920 and sold to be broken up in Germany in August 1921.

Together with sister ship Crescent slightly modified with a raised forecastle. Displacement 7.700 tons and as dimensions 118,1 x 18,52 metres or 387.5 x 60.75 feet. Coal fired machinery consisted of 2-2 cylinder vertical triple steam expansion engines and 4 double ended cylindrical boilers supplying 12.000hp allowing a speed 20 knots and with a speed of 10 knots a range of 10.000 nautical miles. Crew numbered 544 men. Armour consisted of a 7,6cm/3”-12,7cm/5” deck with the casemate protected by 15,2cm/6” thick armour and the main guns by 7,6cm/3” thick shields and the conning tower by 25,4cm/10”. Armament consisted of 1x1-23,37cm/9.2” inch breech loading Mk VI gun, 12x1-5,24cm/6” quick firing guns and 12x1-6pd guns.