British armoured frigate HMS Agincourt 1861-1904, Boscawen III 1904-1905, Ganges III 1905-1909 and C 109 1909-1960

HMS Agincourt

Part of the Minotaur-class consisting of the Minotaur, Agincourt and Northumberland, preceded by Achilles and succeeded by Prince Consort-class. Building ordered on 2 September 1861, laid down by Laird, Son&Co., Birkenhead, England on 20 October 1861, launched on 27 March 1865, completed on 19 December 1868, commissioned in June 1868, training/depot ship for boys at Portland since 1893, renamed Boscawen III in March 1904, renamed Ganges II and stationed at Harwich in 1905, stationed at Sheerness since 1909 and there, converted into the coal hulk C 109 and broken up since 21 October 1960.

Displacement 10.798 tons and as dimensions 121,9 (between perpendiculars)-124,05 (over all) x 18,1 x 8,3 metres or 400-407 x 59.6 x 26.10 feet. Machinery consisted of 1-2cylinder horizontal return connecting rod steam engine of Maudslay and 10 rectangular fire-tube boilers supplying via one shaft 4.426 ihp (sea trials on 12 December 1865) allowing a maximum speed of 9,5 (under sail)-13,55 knots. With a range with a speed of 7,5 knots under steam and a coal bunker capacity of 750 tons 1.500 nautical miles. Five masts with a sail area of 3.008 square metres/32.377 square feet. Poor sailor. The screw could not be lifted out of the water when under sail. In 1893-1894 were three masts removed and since then barque rigged. Crew numbered 800 men. The wrought iron made armour consisted of a 11,4cm/4.5”-14cm/5.5” thick belt and 14cm/5.5” thick bulkheads. Armament consisted of 4-23cm/9” rifled muzzle loading guns and 24-18cm/7” rifled muzzle loading guns. Originally to be armed with 40-110pd Armstrong breech loading guns but never executed while the gun was no success. Rearmed in 1875 with 17-22,8cm/9” guns of which 2 were replaced around 1883 by 2-15,2cm/6” breech loading guns. Between 1891-891 armed with 4-12cm/4’7” quick firing guns, 8-3pd Hotchkiss quick firing guns, 8 machineguns and 2 torpedo tubes.