NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Rosario 1898

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Condor			Sheerness DYd	1.1.1898	17.12.1898	1.11.1900	foundered 3.12.1901
Rosario			Sheerness DYd	1.1.1898	17.12.1898	5.1899	submarine depot ship 1910
Shearwater			Sheerness DYd	1899	10.2.1900	1900	RCN submarine depot ship 1915
Vestal			Sheerness DYd	1899	10.2.1900	1900	sold 10.1921
Mutine		635	Laird, Birkenhead	1898	1.3.1900	1900	survey ship 5.1907
Rinaldo		636	Laird, Birkenhead	1898	29.5.1900	1900	sold 10.1921

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	980
Displacement full, t
Length, m	54.9 pp 62.2 oa
Breadth, m	9.90
Draught, m	3.50
No of shafts	2
Machinery	sails + 2 3-cyl VTE, 4 Belleville boilers
Power, h. p.	1400
Max speed, kts	13.5
Fuel, t	coal
Endurance, nm(kts)	3000(10)
Armour, mm	steel; deck: 38 - 25, gunshields: 6
Armament	6 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk III, 4 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I
Complement	120 - 130

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

The rigging of this class reverted to former practice. On completion they were barque-rigged, but for service on the China and East African stations, the yards were removed and in, for example, Vestal left with two pole masts. The foremast was fitted with a large rectangular platform erected at a height of 6.1m from the deck, on which MGs were mounted. MGs were not included at the time of completion but added later according to the particular duty and station. The 102mm QF guns were two on the forecastle, two amidships, and two aft, with gun shields of 6mm armour. Vestal`s shields were removed from the forecastle guns when she shipped her unsightly foremast platform. The bridge was located aft on the poop deck. Figureheads and scrolled trail boards helped to make these handsome ships when in their full barque-rig. They had rounded sloping sterns, clipper bows, and a slightly raked funnel gave them a yacht-like appearance.

Ship protection

Ships had a protective deck of 25mm to 38mm steel extending over the machinery and boilers.

Modernizations

early 1900s, all: + 3 x 1 - 11.4/94

Naval service

Mutine completed conversion to a survey ship in 1907, she was paid off in August 1914 but recommissioned as a depot ship in December 1917, became RNVR drillship in September 1925 and sold in 1932. Rosario was converted to submarine depot ship in 1910-1911 and sold in November 1921. Shearwater served as depot ship for Canadian submarines CC1 and CC2 from 1915, sold in May, 1922. Vestal was a gunnery tender in August 1914, later served as guardship but reverted to harbour service in 1915.

Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.