HMS Pyramus (1897)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Pyramus.

HMS Pyramus ca. 1900.
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Pyramus
Builder	Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company, Jarrow
Laid down	May 1896
Launched	15 May 1897
Completed	1900
Fate	Sold for scrapping 21 April 1920
General characteristics
Class and type	Pelorus-class third-class cruiser
Displacement	2,135 tons
Length	300 ft (91 m) between perpendiculars 313 ft 6 in (95.55 m) length overall
Beam	36 ft 6 in (11.1 m)
Draught	16 ft (4.9 m)
Installed power	Natural draught: 5,000 indicated horsepower (6.7 megawatts) Forced draught: 7,000 indicated horsepower (9.4 megawatts)
Propulsion	Two shafts, three-cylinder triple expansion steam engines, 16 Reed water tube boilers, 500 tons coal
Speed	Natural draught: 18.5 knots (34.25 km/h) maximum Forced draught: 20 knots (37 km/h) maximum After several years of service, average maximum speeds of class dropped to 16 to 17 knots (29.6 to 31.5 km/h)
Complement	224
Armament	8 × QF 4-inch (102 mm) guns 8 × 3-pounder (47-mm) guns 3 × machine guns 2 × 18-inch (450-mm) torpedo tubes athwartships
Armour	Deck: 1.5 to 2 inches (38.1 to 50.8 mm) Gunshields: 0.25 inch (6.35 mm) Conning tower: 3 inches (76.2 mm)

HMS Pyramus was a Pelorus-class protected cruiser of the Royal Navy. There were eleven "Third class" protected cruisers in the class, which was designed by Sir William White. While well armed for their size, they were primarily workhorses for the overseas fleet on "police" duties and did not serve with the main battlefleet.

They displaced 2,135 tons, had a crew complement of 224 men and were armed with eight QF 4 inch (102 mm, 25 pounder) guns, eight 3-pounder guns, three machine guns, and two 18 inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes. With reciprocating triple expansion engines and a variety of boilers, the top speed was 20 knots (37 km/h).

HMS Pyramus was laid down at Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company, Jarrow in May 1896, and launched on 15 May 1897.

She served in various colonial posts, including in the Mediterranean Fleet in 1901–02. Commander Alfred Ernest Albert Grant was appointed in command on 2 August 1901. In October 1902 she was reported to be visiting Suda Bay at Crete.

HMS Pyramus in 1914

In 1914 she formed part of the escort for the New Zealand Force which occupied German Samoa (now Samoa). In July 1915 she was present at the Rufiji river delta action when the monitors HMS Severn and HMS Mersey destroyed the German cruiser SMS Königsberg.

She was sold for scrap on 21 April 1920.

References

• World War I Naval Combat webpage
• Miramar Ship Index listing
• Imperial War Museum Book of the War at Sea 1914–1918.
• Gardiner, Robert, ed. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860-1905. New York: Mayflower Books Inc., 1979. ISBN 0-8317-0302-4.