HMS Royal Sovereign (1891)

HMS "Royal Sovereign" was a "Royal Sovereign" class battleship of the Royal Navy, the name ship of the class and the largest warship in the world at the time of her construction.

Technical Characteristics

"Royal Sovereign" was laid down on 30 September 1889 and completed in 1892. Built at Portsmouth Dockyard she was 410 feet long and had a maximum cruising speed of 17 knots. She cost £913,986 to build. Her armaments included four 67-ton 13.5-inch guns and several smaller calibre guns.

. [Burt, p. 66] The secondary armament was designed to provide potent, quick firing support for the main battery. Despite their greatly increased weight, thanks to a main armour belt which ran for two thirds of their length, they were the fastest capital ships in the world in their time.

When the 14,150-ton "Royal Sovereign" was completed, she was the largest warship in the world. She proved that guns and torpedoes were more effective in attack than defence and was a vital stepping stone to the famous dreadnoughts which superseded her.

Operational History

"Royal Sovereign" was christened by Queen Victoria, attended by her sons the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Duke of Connaught, on 26 February 1891. [Burt, p. 80] She completed trials in May 1892 and was commissioned on 31 May 1892, relieving HMS "Camperdown" as Flagship, Channel Squadron. From then until 13 August 1892, she served as Flagship, "Red Fleet," in annual mauevers off the coast of Ireland. She reprised her role as Flagship, Red Fleet, from 27 July 1892 to 6 August 1892 in annual maneuvers in the Irish Sea and the Western Approaches. [Burt, p. 80]

In June 1895 "Royal Sovereign" was part of a British naval squadron that attended the opening of the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal in Germany. [Burt, p. 80]

During the third week of July 1896, "Royal Sovereign" took part in annual maneuvers in the Irish Sea and off the southwest coast of England as part of 'Fleet A." [Burt, p. 81]

On 7 June 1897, "Royal Sovereign" paid off and her crew transferred to battleship HMS "Mars", which relieved her in the Channel Squadron. The next day, she recommissioned to relieve the battleship HMS "Trafalgar" in the Mediterranean Sea. Before departing for the Mediterranean, she took part in the Fleet Review for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria at Spithead on 26 June 1897, and from 7 July 1897 to 11 July 1897 took part in annual maneuvers off the coast of Ireland. She finally departed England for the Mediterranean in September 1897. [Burt, p. 81] Upon arrival, "Royal Sovereign" joined the Mediterranean Fleet. On 13 May 1899, she recommissioned for further duty with that fleet. On 9 November 1901, off Greece, one of her 6-inch (152-mm) guns exploded, killing one officer and five Royal Marines and injuring one officer and 19 seamen. [Burt, p. 81]

After being relieved in the Mediterranean by battleship HMS "London", "Royal Sovereign" departed Gibraltar on 9 July 1902, arriving at Portsmouth, England, on 14 July 1902. On 30 August 1892, she commissioned as Port Guard Ship there for service in the Home Squadron. From 5 August 1903 to 9 August 1903, she participated in maneuvers off the coast of Portugal. From 1903 to 1904 she underwent an extensive refit at Portsmouth. [Burt, p. 81]

On 9 February 1907, "Royal Sovereign" commissioned as a Special Service Vessel in Reserve. As such, she was incorporated into the 4th Division of the Home Fleet with other such vessels in April 1909. [Burt, p. 81]

In September 1909, "Royal Sovereign" paid off at Devonport into Material Reserve. She was sold for scrap on 7 October 1913. [Burt, p. 81]

Notes

References

*Colledge
*Burt, R. A. "British Battleships 1889-1904". Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1988. ISBN 087021061-0.
* Roger Chesneau and Eugene M. Kolesnik, ed., "Conway's All The Worlds Fighting Ships, 1860-1905", (Conway Maritime Press, London, 1979), ISBN 0-85177-133-5