The mostly forgotten Eclipse-class were nine protected cruisers, second-class, built for the Royal Navy 1893-98 and still active in WWI. They were deployed in many theatres from the North sea to the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and India Station and were discarded in 1919-1926. Full design and tech detail, story and career. Dido collided with cruiser Berwick in 1913 but was quickly repaired and became submarine depot ship; from 1916 until the Armistice she served as depot ship for destroyer flotilla, paid off for disposal in February 1926. Eclipse in 1916 became submarine depot ship, laid up to reserve in 1918. The new “Isis” served as Cadets Training ship until 1907. Talbot ran aground in the Suez Canal in September 1912, but was repaired and resumed service.

An IA colorized photo of HMS Talbot (the only one not having a mythologic name), date unknown, location unknown, but possibly Malta. Pre-1902. Indeed, British warships officially transitioned from their traditional Victorian black hulls, white superstructures, and buff-colored masts to an all-dark grey paint scheme on August 5, 1902. Before this comprehensive standardization, individual stations and experimental vessels had already begun utilizing lighter greys or white while operating in tropical regions.Transition TimelinePre-1902: Ships featured black hulls, white superstructures, and yellow-buff funnels/masts, with select tropical stations testing white or light grey.August 5, 1902: The Royal Navy officially ordered the entire fleet to adopt a uniform dark grey color scheme.1902–1914: Fleet units maintained variations of dark or “battleship” grey, shifting toward lighter or standardized mid-greys as World War I approached and pigment availability dictated.

Development

The Royal Navy was impressive for its battle lines, but really what supported the Empire like Atlas the Earth was its immense fleet of cruisers. Prior to WWI this gigantic fleet was divided between Unprotected cruisers (rare, mostly an export), protected cruisers (generally limited to a protective turtle deck), and armoured cruisers, whereas “battle cruiser” were really capital ships, closer to battleships than cruisers. Even between protected cruisers (and from 1900, scout cruisers, barely protected) there were gradients, classes. 3rd class protected cruisers were really the ancestors of later light cruisers, whereas 1st class protected cruisers were almost equal to some armoured cruisers in size and capabilities. Sometimes the margin was thin between categories. In any case, the range of 2nd class protected cruisers started in 1877 with the Iris class, went through the Leander, Mersey, Medea, Apollo and Astraea classes.

HMS Fox of the previous Astraea class

The latter were really the forerunner of the whole next lineage, mostly due to criticism. Indeed, a new was provided under the Spencer Programme of 1893/94. They were designed with a heavier armament but as this was combined with another major increase in size, they were subject to as much abuse as their predecessors. The arrangement of hull and protection was the same as that of the Astraea class except that seaworthiness was further improved by the addition of a turtleback forecastle extending as far aft as the foremast.

The armament was also arranged like that in Astraea except that the two foremost 120mm guns were replaced by two 152mm, the single 152mm on the quarterdeck was replaced by two sided 152mm and the 57mm guns were replaced by 76mm. This arrangement was chosen to secure the maximum improvement in ahead and astern fire and resulted in broadside fire being a little better than that of Astraea — 3 152mm and 3 120mm compared with 2 152mm and 4 120mm.

It was eventually accepted that they were under-gunned for their size and during 1903-05 all except Eclipse were rearmed. Apart from a slight increase in power the machinery was similar to that in Astraea and designed speed and endurance were the same. On trials the ships achieved between 9760 and 9875ihp and speeds of 20 to 21.2kts. With the exception of Talbot they were the first British second class cruisers to be fitted with fighting tops which were positioned low on both masts. Dido and Isis had single pole masts while the remainder of the class had fidded topmasts.

Design of the class

Hull and general design

The Eclipse-class displaced 5,600 long tons (5,690 t) and were 373 feet (113.7 m) long overall (106.7 meters between parallel), for a beam of 53 feet 6 inches (16.31 m) and draught of 20 feet 6 inches (6.2 m), so beefier than the Astraea, which were 4,360 tons 339 ft 6 in (103.48 m) long and 49 ft 6 in (15.09 m) in beam. The 5,600 long tons (5,700 t) were at normal load. No sources gave the fully loaded figure, but base in analogies, it was likely above 6,300 tonnes fully loaded. To reduce biofouling, their hulls were sheathed with wood and copper. Metacentric height was approximately 3 feet (0.9 m). The hull differed much from the previous class by their extra foredeck, making for a taller hull. Stability loss what seaworthiness gained in a way. Plus the foredeck had a turtle weather deck to rapidly dispense any incoming seawater. The three anchors (2 port, 1 starboard) were placed in cut-niches in this deck. There was also a ram bow.

Other wide, they had a slightly lower aft deck, ending with a pointed cruiser poop, gallery, and light guns in cutouts fore and aft. The latter were subjected to heavy weather, not much those forward, one deck and half higher. But the presence of three rows of portholes made these cruisers quite a statement in foreign waters, 2nd class or not. They had two raked funnels, twp raked masts of same heights and composed of a thicker lower military mast complete with a fighting top. There were a fore and aft structure, and in between a busy deck between bulwarks with deck guns, boats under davits above, and dorade boxes. The enclose bridge forward was located on pillars, clearing out the conning tower, both above and below and anchored on the military mast. The aft mainmast had a boom crane to manage the remaining deck boats. In total, the crew comprised 450 officers and enlisted men for about twelve boats of various sizes, the usual coal barges, steam cutters, whalers, cutters, and yawls always useful for a landing party. On that chapter they had two “machine guns” (likely Nordenfelt Gatling style) that could be potentially placed on the steam cutters to support landing parties.

Powerplant

The Eclipse class needed to be faster than the Astraea and given their tonnage gain of nearly 1,000 tonnes, their powerplant was beefed up: They had two inverted triple-expansion steam engines, fed by the high pressure, high temperature steam generated by eight cylindrical boilers. Working pressure was 155 psi (1,069 kPa; 11 kgf/cm2). Under normal draught, the design ouptout was 8,000 indicated horsepower (6,000 kW) burning coal, for a designed speed of 18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph) which was verified on trials. This was 500 more hp, a 0.5 knots more than their predecessors. Using forced draft, however, they could ramp this up to 9,600 indicated horsepower (7,200 kW) versus 9500 hp on the previous cruisers, all for a top speed of 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph), also like their predecessors. On sea trials, and on light load, they all exceeded their specifications with speed exceeding 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). For range, they carried 1,075 long tons (1,092 t) of coal, versus 1,000 for the Astraea, making for 7000 nautical miles at 10 knots economical speed.

Protection

These cruisers had a classic protective turtledeck, which flat portion was located above the ammunition and machinery space at waterline level, sloping downwards, below the same waterline to create and internal, sloped belt. This protective deck was 38mm thick (1.5 inch) on the flat portion and 76mm on the slope (3 inches). These slopes were 2.5 inches (64 mm) thick when covering an area six inches (150 mm) above the waterline to 5 feet (1.5 m) below it. The engine cylinders however projected above this deck, and so had caps for protection making for a 152mm (6 inches) armoured glacis around the engine room hatch.
The gun shields were protected by 3-inches or 76 mm and the conning tower had also walls six inches or 152 mm thick.

Armament

Main Guns: 5x 6-in/40 QF

The cruisers were armed with five 6-inch (152 mm), 40 caliber, quick-firing (QF) guns, all in single mounts, and all protected by gun shields. There was one mounted on the forecastle, two on the quarterdeck, two abreast the bridge.
Specs:
Mass 6.6 tons, Barrel length 240 inches (6.096 m) bore. Mount elevation +20 degrees
Shell QF, separate cartridge and shell 100-pound (45 kg). Muzzle velocity 2,205 ft/s (672 m/s).
ROF 5–7 rounds per minute
Range 10,000 yards (9,140 m) at 20° elevation.
200 six-inch rounds per gun.

6x QF 4.7-inch (120 mm)

The secondary armament consisted of six 40-calibre 4.7-inch (120 mm) guns: Three on each broadside.
Specs
Exact caliber 4.724 inches (120 mm). Mass: Variable. 15 ft 9 in (4.8 m) barrel.
Recoil 12 inches (305 mm)
Shell: 45-pound (20.4 kg), muzzle velocity 2,125 ft/s (648 m/s).
ROF 5–6 rounds per minute
Range: 10,000 yards (9,100 m) at 20°.
250 shells carried for each 4.7-inch gun.

QF 12 Pdr

The first line of defense against torpedo boats was provided by eight QF 12-pounder 12 cwt guns. Four of the 12-pounders were mounted in the sides of the hull fore and aft while the remaining four guns were interspersed between the 4.7-inch guns.
Specs:
Mass 12 cwt (0.6 tons, 510 kg). 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) long oa
3-inch (76 mm), 12.5-pound (5.7 kg) Separate-loading QF. Muzzle velocity of 2,359 ft/s (719 m/s).
Max range 11,750 yd (10,740 m) at 40° elevation.
300 rounds carried per gun, HE.

QF 3-dpr (47 mm/1.9 in) Hotchkiss

This defence was completed by six 47-millimetre (1.9 in) three-pounder Hotchkiss guns. They were mounted in the fighting tops, three in each one.
Specs:
Mass 240 kg (530 lb), Length 2 m (6 ft 7 in), barrel 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) 40 caliber
Shell: Fixed QF 47 × 376 mm R 3 kg (6.6 lb), cap 1.5 kg (3.3 lb)
ROF 30 rpm, Muzzle velocity 571 m/s (1,870 ft/s)
Breech: Vertical sliding-wedge elevation
Range 5.9 km (3.7 mi) at +20°
500 were carried for each three-pounder.

18-inches Torpedo Tubes

The ships also equipped with three 18-inch torpedo tubes, one submerged tube on each broadside and one above water in the stern. These were Whitehead Fiume Mark II or Whitehead Mark 2C, available from 1893.
Each ship also carried ten torpedoes, presumably four for each broadside tube and two for the stern tube.
Specs:
Mass: 1232 pounds, length 197 inches (5.0 meters), Diameter 17.7 inches (45 centimeters)
Warhead wet guncotton 132 pounds
Detonation mechanism Mk 1 contact exploder
Engine 3-cylinder reciprocating: 28.5 knots for 1500 yards
Guidance system depth control.

Modernizations

Between 1903 and 1905, all but HMS Eclipse, received a more uniform armament alleviating the issue of observing similar water plumes. They had eleven of the new 6-inch (152mm)/45 BL Mk VII installed, but retained nine 12-pounders and seven 3-pounder guns. Thus, this concerned Talbot, Venus, Minerva, Juno, Diana, Doris, Dido, and Isis. They also kept their TTs.

⚙ specifications
Displacement	5,600 long tons (5,690 t)
Dimensions	350 ft x 53 ft 6 in x 20 ft 6 in (106.7 x 16.3 x 6.25 m)
Propulsion	2 shafts VTE 8 cyl. coal boilers: 9,600 ihp (7,200 kW)
Speed	18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph)
Range	1075t coal, 7000 nm/10 kts
Armament	5× QF 6-in, 6× QF 4.7-in, 8× QF 12-pdr, 6× QF 3-pdr, 3× 18-in TTs
Protection	Gun shields: 3 in, Decks: 1.5–3 in (38–76 mm), Engine cover hatch & CT 6 in (152 mm)
Crew	450 Officers and ratings

Career of the Eclipse class Cruiser

Eclipse was ordered from Portsmouth Dockyard, laid down on 11 December 1893, launched on 19 July 1894 and commissioned on 23 March 1897. In 1899, she was sent to the Indian Ocean, taking the head as flagship of the East Indies Squadron. She was recommissioned at Chatham dockyard in late May 1901 to relieve HMS Hermione on the China Station next. In 1914 she was assigned to the 12th Cruiser Squadron patrolling the Western end of the English Channel. She was tasked to stop, board and inspect any suspicious vessels, as to prevent disguised minelayers to get close. No logs for her later war service. She was likely decommissioned in 1919 and mothballed, then Sold for scrap, August 1921.

Diana was ordered from Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering, Govan, laid down on 13 August 1894, launched on 5 December 1895 and commissioned on 15 June 1897. She was recommissioned at Chatham on 16 February 1900 to relieved HMS Ringarooma, HMS Boomerang and HMS Torch on the Australia Station. She left Plymouth on 27 February 1900 for this long trip via Gibraltar, Malta, Aden and Colombo. She arrived in Australia in April 1900. In 1901 on 15 January, back home, she was commissioned with her full complement of 450 at Chatham, She was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet under Capt. Arthur Murray Farquhar.
In March 1901, she escorted the Royal Yacht HMS Ophir for the World tour of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, later King George V and Queen Mary. They went from Gibraltar to Malta, ended at Port Said. Captain Edmond Slade took command in April 1902, Farquhar leaving however by June. In May 1902 she visited Palermo for festivities of the Agricultural Exhibition, in presence of King Victor Emmanuel. In August 1902 she made a cruise to the Aegean Sea, and stopped Salonica and Lemnos. Next she stopped Argostoli by October and sailed to Malta. By late 1904 she was sent to Tangier, shadowing the Baltic Russian fleet coaling there after the Dogger Bank incident. The latter, on their way to Port Arthur just besieged by the Japanese, believed they were attacked by British TBs underway and fired on trawlers in poor weather, killing dozens of British fishermen and leading to a fill mobilization and diplomatic backlash. It’s unclear what she did in 1914-18, likely she was assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron. She was anyway decommissioned in 1919 and Sold for scrap on 1 July 1920.

Dido was ordered from London & Glasgow Shipbuilding, Govan, laid down on 30 August 1894, launched on 20 March 1896 and commissioned on 10 May 1898. Her launch was not a simple affair though: An initial attempt was done on 18 March 1896 and proved unsuccessful, as she remained stuck on the slipway. A second attempt on 20 March with steam capstans proved successful. She was thus fitted out on 10 May 1898 at a cost of £252,278. She was assigned to the Mediterranean, cruising Greek waters by the spring of 1900. She was later posted to the China Station. In October 1901 she departed Hong Kong for home, Sheerness 14 December. She paid off at Chatham, 11 January 1902, Fleet Reserve, as an emergency ship in case of war. So she was maintained ready to be prerared under a short notice. She was recommissioned again in February 1903, crewed by HMS Galatea, which became a coast guard ship at Humber district, Hull. She received a “Le Cheminant” chronometer from the Royal Observatory on 17 March 1916 for testing but she was used a depot ship at Spithead from 1912 and during the war. She was sold for scrap on 26 December 1926.

Doris was ordered from Naval Construction & Armaments Co., Barrow-in-Furness, laid down on 29 August 1894, launched on 3 March 1896 and commissioned on 18 November 1897. Doris was the flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Harris as CiC, South Africa, station (Cape of Good Hope) 1898-1900. In 1899 one QF 4.7-inch (120 mm) was removed, mounted on a field carriage to cover troops in the Second Boer War, at the battme of Magersfontein. The gun was affectionately dubbed “Joe Chamberlain”. Back home, the cruiser was paid off at Devonport in May 1901. Her crew were given a salute when it happened as many were detached to reinforce the troops in this war.
After a refit, she was on 4 June 1902 she was recommissioned into the Channel Squadron crewed by HMS Arrogant. She was present for the fleet at Spithead on 16 August 1902 (coronation of King Edward VII). She was sent to the Med, visited Souda Bay in Crete for combined maneuvers for the Channel fleet and Cruiser squadrons in September, and by October visited Tetouan in Morocco. In April 1911 she was stationed with the Atlantic Fleet Gibraltar. From August 1914, she was assigned to the 11th Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet under CO Frank Larken. On 5 August she captured a German merchant ship while patrolling for just such vessels. By November she was off West Coast of Ireland when on the 7th she was ordered to Alexandria opposing Turkey. She was patrolled the Syrian coast, looking for targets along the coast and shore installations. On 15 December she was off Beersheba when spotting activity on a bluff above shore, and after closing in, saw preparations for field batteries for a Turkish defensive position. The cruiser cancelled it in short notice.
From Beersheba, Doris went to the Gulf of Alexandretta, landing shore parties to destroy communication lines, telegraph lines, railway tracks, before dropping anchor in Alexandretta. There, the Turkish Military Governor was demanded to surrender the city or being shelled. That governor then asked Djemal Pasha, Greater Syria Military Commander, which refused and declared he will shot every British captive for every victim of the shelling. The American Consul in Alexandretta obtained to evacuate all military stores and equipment and scuttled railway locomotives. Doris went on the Syrian coast until March 1915, in all landing parties 13 times, and sometimes performing coastal bombardments. She was relieved by the French. On 25 April Doris shelled on a Dardanelles position near Bulair on the Gallipoli peninsula, as a diversionary feint for the Cape Helles landings. From March 1917 to November 1918, she was stationed in India as an accomodation hulk. She was sold on February 2, 1919, in Mumbai, BU in 1920.

Isis was ordered from London & Glasgow Engineering, Govan, laid down on 30 January 1895 27 June 1896, launched on 10 May 1898 and commissioned on Sold for scrap. She was deployed to the Mediterranean in 1898 and from September to December was in Crete with the International Squadron watching developments of the Greek Christian uprising against the Ottoman Empire, pressuring the latter not to take extreme measures. However when a violent riot by Cretan Turks against British soldiers as well as Christian civilians in Candia reupted on 6 September 1898, Isis, anchored in the harbor sent a landing party, captured the men responsible which were held aboard awaiting trial and execution. They were hanged in Candia in October-November. Iris only left her station in 1900 and on 28 December she was transferred to the China Station. By late October 1901 she left Hong Kong for Spithead (December) later paid off at Chatham, 18 January 1902, Fleet Reserve as emergency ship.
In May 1902, she became a tender to HMS Britannia, cadet training ship at Dartmouth. After a refit, she had new steam and gunnery trials, being recommissioned as tender to HMS Britannia. By early October she left Plymouth for Gibraltar, transited by to Las Palmas, and cruised off the Canary Islands then back to Plymouth via Madeira by November. By the Spring 1903 she did the same and visited Arosa bay in January, back to Plymouth in late March. On 22 April 1914 in poor weather, she collided with the cargo ship Carbineer in the Channel, sinking the latter (rammed) 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km) SSW of the Owers Lightship but she rescued her crew. In August 1914 she was exhumed for the reserve, attached to the 11th Cruiser Squadron, sent to Queenstown Ireland and later transferred to the North American and West Indies Station until decommissioned in 1919 and scrapped in 1920.

Juno was ordered from Naval Construction & Armaments Co., Barrow, laid down on 22 June 1895, launched on 18 November 1895 and commissioned on 16 June 1897. In late March 1900 she sailed to Algiers to bring back home the remains of Field Marshal Sir Donald Stewart who died there earlier that month. In 1901, she escorted the Royal Yacht HMS Ophir for her tour of the British Empire. Next month she returned to the cruiser squadron. In May 1902, she started a refit at Portsmouth. In June, she had Captain David Beatty as CO (yes, this one). She took part in the Coronation fleet review at the Spithead on 16 August 1902. Next she was sent to the Aegean Sea for combined manoeuvres. Back in Portsmouth in October, she carried Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland and Lady Dudley on a visit to Waterford and later returned to the Mediterranean until paid off. In 1914 she was assigned to the 11th Cruiser Squadron based in Ireland. In 1915, she was sent to the Persian Gulf and was off Bushire in July–August 1915 to face the Tangistani raids under Rais Ali Delvari. On Friday 7 May 1915 back to Queenstown in Ireland she was considered an easy prey for U-Boats and her worn out engines meant 16 knots. She took evasive action and returned to port in one of her patrols, and later called to rush to the sinking site of RMS Lusitania, but she turned around before leaving harbour. Back in the Med by November 1916 she carried Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud to Bushire to see Sir Percy Cox, British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf. No logs for 1917-18. She was decommissioned and stricken in 1919, sold for scrap in 1920.

Minerva was ordered from Chatham Dockyard, laid down on 4 December 1893, launched on 23 September 1895, and commissioned on 4 February 1897. She was in the Channel Squadron until 1901, guard ship at Cowes in early 1902 albeit she might have been based in Gibraltar with the Training Squadron in between. By the spring of 1902 she tested new cylindrical boilers and Belleville boilers from HMS Hyacinth, comparing them at various powers in the Channel, then long runs to the Mediterranean and back. The Belleville water-tube boilers proved more efficient and lighter but on long runs they were prone to leaks, and suffered a burst tube. Thus, the RN stopped using Belleville boilers.
She took part in the 16 August 1902 Coronation fleet review at Spithead, visited the Aegean Sea with for combined manoeuvres until October. Back home, Captain Doveton Sturdee (yes, this one) was appointed her new CO 17 October. She took part in relief operations in Sicily after the great earthquake and tsunami of Messina on 28 December 1908. The crew earned for this the Medal of Merit from King Vittorio Emanuele III. She was posted permanently in the Mediterranean from 1912, trying to rescue in October the submarine HMS B2 sunk in a collision.

By August 1914, she was in the 11th Cruiser Squadron back in Ireland, but was detached to the 5th Cruiser Squadron in September looking for enemy merchant shipping. She captured and scuttled the Austrian merchant ship Bathori off Vigo on 3 September. She escorted a troop convoy to Egypt in November 1914, joined next the Allies for the Gallipoli Campaign. The TB Demirhisar attempted to attack Allied troop ships near Chios on 16 April 1915 ws opposed by a vigorous fire from Minerva, and the DDs Jed, Kennet and Wear. The TB (an ex-German HochseeTB) ran aground, and was later scuttled. Minerva also supported the landing at Cape Helles in April, Suvla Bay in August. The danger of U-Boat and weak protection led the admiralty to send her to the China Station in 1916. Then she was at the Indian Ocean and Red Sea station by 1917, then East Africa until 1918. Back to Queenstown in 1920, and was sold for scrap on 5 October.

Talbot was ordered from Devonport Dockyard, laid down on 5 March 1894, launched on 25 April 1895 and commissioned on 15 September 1896. service on the North America and West Indies Station, but was back in the United Kingdom a couple of years later. In 1899 she brought back the body of Lord Herschell to London from the US. In April 1901 she was recommissioned at Devonport Under CO Frederick George Stopford and sent to the China Station, Hong Kong from 10 December. In June 1902 she visited Kobe, Japan. Captain Lewis Bayly replaced Stopford on 11 July 1902. In February 1903 she visited Manila with the flagship pre-dreadnought HMS Glory and despatch vessel Alacrity. She was present at Chemulpo Bay in 1904 to witness the last fight of the cruiser Varyag and gunboat Korietz against the IJN.

HMS Talbot at Sulva Bay, shelling Turkish positions to cover the landings, Dardanelles 1915 (painting “The Dardanelles: Colour Sketches from Gallipoli”).
In 1914 she joined “Cruiser Force G” in the Channel. In September she captured a German merchantman. On 27 March 1915 she was sent to the Dardanelles, arrived that day at Tenedos and took part in the first Battle of Gallipoli. She was detached to the First Battle Squadron to support the landings on the Peninsula but on 26 April she supported HMS Goliath supporting “Y Beach”. In June she became an HQ ship for Senior Naval Officers at Gaba Tepe. She however was sent to support the Suvla landings as flasghip, 3rd Squadron. She covered the evacuation of Anzac beach in December 1915, Helles in January 1916. By May 1916 she opered off the east African coast, Cape Command. In January 1917 she was sent to Kiswere, Tanzania in search of German commerce raiders, and by 1918 was stationed at Good Hope. Back home, she she was laid up at Haulbowline, Cork, Ireland from 1919-1921 until sold for scrap on 6 December 1921.

Venus was ordered from Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering, laid down on 28 June 1894, launched on 5 September 1895 and commissioned on 9 November 1897. She was under command of Sir Archibald Berkeley Milne from November 1897, served at the Mediterranean Station. She was paid off in March 1901 at Chatham. In March 1900 she visited Corfu, recommissioned, then decom. Again she was recommissioned at Chatham on 7 February 1903 with the crew of HMS Australia. The latter was kept as coastguard ship at Southampton Water, she replaced her. She also acted as training ship for naval cadets. By 1906, she patrolled waters near Alexandria, and prevented a mutiny at Port Said. In 1908 Venus she was present for the Quebec Tercentenary in Canada. She joined the 3rd Fleet at Pembroke in 1913. She was based at Portsmouth in 1914. She Joined the 11th Cruiser Squadron in Ireland from August 1914. While patrolling she captured two German merchantmen in October. In a gale she lost her foremast by November 1914. She was then sent to the Mediterranean, was present in Egypt by 1916. Due to the danger of U-Boats she was set to Singapore, taking station from March 1917. Next she became flagship for the East Indies station by 1919 and returned home in May 1919, to pay off, and sold for scrap, 22 September 1921.

Read More/Src

Books

Chesneau, Roger; Kolesnik, Eugene M., eds. (1979). Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1860–1905. Conway Maritime Press.
Corbett, Julian S. (1920). History of the Great War: Naval Operations: Vol I: To the Battle of the Falklands December 1914. Longmans, Green & Co.
Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth.
Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1906–1921. NIP
McBride, Keith (2012). “The Cruiser Family Talbot”. In John Jordan (ed.). Warship 2012. London: Conway.

Links

navypedia.org eclipse.htm
wiki Eclipse-class_cruiser
Naval operations by Corbett, Julian Stafford, Sir, 1854-1922; Newbolt, Henry John, Sir, 1862-1938