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 Millwall Iron Works, Millwall, London, England on 10 October 1861, launched on 17 April 1866, completed on 5 October 1868, commissioned in October 1868, refitted between 1873-1875 and 1885-1887, reserve between 1890-1898, hulked as stokers’ training ship at the Nore in 1898, renamed Acheron on 1 January 1904, coal hulk at Invergordon between 1909-1927, renamed C 8 in 1909, renamed C 68 in 1926, sold in 1927, resold and as the hulk Stedmound serving at Dakar, Senegal until she was broken up in 1935. Minotaur and Agincourt in fact half sisters.
Displacement 10.754 tons and as dimensions 122 (between perpendiculars) x 18,1 x 8,5 Metres or 400.4 x 59.5 x 27.9 feet. Machinery consisted of 1-2cylinder trunk steam engine of John Penn and Sons and 10 rectangular boilers supplying via one shaft 6.558 ihp (during the sea trials on 15 September 1868) allowing a speed of 7 (under sail)-14,1 knots. With a coal bunker capacity of 760 (normal)-1.400 (maximum) tons and a speed of 10 knots 2.825 nautical miles. She had five masts although three were planned in the original design, between 185-1879 2 removed and since then barque-rigged. Poor sailor. The screw could not be lifted out of the water when under sail. Crew numbered 705-800 men. Originally to be armed with 40-110pd Armstrong breech loading guns but never executed while the gun was no success. Original armament consisted of 4-23cm/9” rifled muzzle loading guns, 22-20cm/8” rifled muzzle loading guns, 2-17,8cm/7” rifled muzzle loading guns and 8 brozne howitzers to b used as saluting guns. Armour consisted of a 11,4cm/4.5”-14cm/5.5” thick belt, conning tower 11,4cm/4.5”, 14cm/5.5” thick bulkheads with the same thickness for her battery (length 56,2 metres/184.5 feet). Under layer of the armour was 25,4cm/10” teak. Unlike her half sister ships was not the complete hull protected as a result of compensating the weight of the guns.
