Rys class protected cruiser

Rys class Protected Cruiser
Class overview
Name	Rys class Protected Cruiser
Operators	Far Eastern Imperial Navy
Planned	3
Built	3
Active	2
Destroyed	1
General Characteristics
Type	Protected cruiser
Displacement	6700 tons standard 7050 tons full load
Length	126.9 metres (416 ft)
Beam	16.8 metres (55 ft)
Draught	6.4 metres (21 ft)
Propulsion	2 shafts, 2 VTE steam engines
Power	24 Belleville boilers 14,000 ihp (10,000 kW)
Speed	19 kts
Range	4600 nm at 10 kts
Complement	580
Armament	8 × 152mm/45 KO 1893 g gun 24 x 76.2mm/40 KO 1900 g gun 8 x 37mm/40 KO 1893 g gun 3 381mm torpedo tubes
Armour	Deck: 51-76mm conning tower: 152 mm

Development

Rys class protected cruisers were ordered in the aftermath of Sino-Japanese war as an answer to increased Japanese belligerence and naval build up. They were intended to complement the larger armored cruisers. This class were the first proper protected cruiser in Far Eastern naval service and they were somewhat larger than their foreign counterparts. This was due their intended role as long range commercial raiders. All three participated in the Far Eastern- Japanese war. Tur was sunk at the Battle of Tsusima in 1905. The design was not considered to be a success. They were too slow to work as fast scouts of the fleet into which they were assigned briefly prior the Far Eastern-Japanese war and too low endurance on their initial planned role as attacking enemy convoys and commercial shipping.

Ships in class

Name	Builder	Laid down	Launch Date	Entered Service	Fate
Rys	Novaya Verf, Dalny	May 1897	June 1899	October 1900	Extant in 1920
Tur	Admiralteyskiye Verf, Vladivostok	May 1897	June 1899	October 1900	Sunk May 1905
Volk	Admiralteyskiye Verf, Vladivostok	May 1897	July 1899	November 1900	Extant in 1920

See Also

Ships of Far Eastern Imperial Navy 1920