Pantera class protected cruiser
| Pantera class Protected Cruiser | |
|---|---|
| Class overview | |
| Name | Pantera class Protected Cruiser |
| Operators | Far Eastern Imperial Navy |
| Planned | 6 |
| Built | 6 |
| Active | 5 |
| Destroyed | 1 |
| General Characteristics | |
| Type | Protected cruiser |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 130.6 metres (428 ft) |
| Beam | 15.7 metres (52 ft) |
| Draught | 5.8 metres (19 ft) |
| Propulsion | 2 shafts, 2 VTE steam engines |
| Power |
|
| Speed | 23 kts |
| Range | 6100 nm at 10 kts |
| Complement | 400 |
| Armament |
|
| Armour |
|
Development
Pantera class protected cruisers wee the first Far Eastern ships ordered from Great Britain, a move that was considered controversial in both ends due the hostile relations between the two nations. Origins of the project was the "For the need of the fleet" naval expansion program which was started after the Sino-Japanese war in 1895. The new fleet concept was based around battleships and new type of cruisers were needed for the fleet scouting and reconnaissance work. Initial plans were to build small armored cruisers but this was rejected on a cost basis. As the Far Eastern shipyards were already at full capacity, first two units were ordered from abroad. Tenders were send on various shipbuilders but eventually British Armstrong Whitworth-design was chosen.
The ships are designed under Far Eastern requirements but is of a typical "Elswick" design. They feature flush deck hulls with considerable freeboard. They lacked armor belt but featured armored deck. First two were build in UK and the rest of the ships in domestic shipyards.
Ships in class
| Name | Builder | Laid down | Launch Date | Entered Service | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pantera | Armstrong, Elswick, UK | October 1899 | December 1900 | November 1901 | Sunk in 1904 |
| Bars | Armstrong, Elswick, UK | October 1899 | December 1900 | December 1901 | Extant in 1920 |
| Gepard | Amurskiy Sudostroitelnyy Zavod, Permskoye-na-Amure | June 1900 | September 1901 | April 1903 | Extant in 1920 |
| Yaguar | Admiralteyskiye verf, Vladivostok | April 1901 | May 1902 | August 1903 | Extant in 1920 |
| Kuguar | Novaya verf, Dalny | May 1901 | June 1902 | September 1903 | Extant in 1920 |
| Puma | Novaya verf, Dalny | May 1901 | June 1902 | October 1903 | Extant in 1920 |
