Marathon-class cruiser

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}} {{Use British English|date=November 2017}} {{more citations needed|date=January 2013}}

{{Infobox ship |section1={{Infobox ship/image |image=HMS Magicienne.jpg |image_caption=Chromolithograph of HMS ''Magicienne'' by W. Fred Mitchell, 1892Chromolithograph of HMS ''Magicienne'' by W. Fred Mitchell, 1892 }}

|section2={{Infobox ship/class overview |name=''Marathon'' class |builders=*Fairfields, Govan *Portsmouth Naval Dockyard *Chatham Naval Dockyard |operators={{Navy|United Kingdom}} |class_before={{sclass|Mersey|cruiser|4}} |class_after={{sclass|Pearl|cruiser|4}} |subclasses= |cost= |built_range= 1887–1889 |in_service_range= |in_commission_range= 1889–1920 |total_ships_building= |total_ships_planned= |total_ships_completed=5 |total_ships_canceled= |total_ships_active= |total_ships_laid_up= |total_ships_lost= |total_ships_retired=5 |total_ships_preserved= }}

|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics |hide_header= |header_caption= |class= |type=2nd class cruiser |tonnage= |displacement=*{{Convert|2800|LT|t|0|lk=in}} (''Medea'' & ''Medusa'') *{{Convert|2950|LT|t|0}} (''Melpomene'', ''Magicienne'' & ''Marathon'') |length= |beam= |height= |draught= |draft= |depth= |hold_depth= |decks= |deck_clearance= |power= |propulsion=Dürr boilers (''Medusa'')<ref>{{Cite book |title=Warrior to Dreadnought |last=Brown |first=D.K. |author-link=David K. Brown |publisher=Seaforth |orig-year=1997 |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-84832-086-4 |ref={{harvid|Brown|1997}} |page=165 }}</ref> |sail_plan= |speed= {{Convert|20|kn|lk=in}} |range= |boats= |complement=218 |sensors= |EW= |armament=*6 × {{Convert|6|in|mm|abbr=on|1}} guns *9 × 6-pounder quick firing guns *1 × 3-pounder gun *3 × machine guns *2 × torpedo tubes |armour= |notes= }} }} The '''''Marathon''-class cruiser''' was a class of second class cruiser of the Royal Navy ordered under the naval programme of 1887. The class was a smaller version of the {{sclass|Mersey|cruiser|4}}.

Three of the ships, ''Melpomene'', ''Magicienne'' and ''Marathon'', were built for foreign (tropical) service, with a sheath of wood and copper - this added weight and made them slightly slower.

==Ships== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:97%;" |- ! Name ! Builder ! Laid down ! Launched ! Completed |- | {{HMS|Marathon|1888|6}} | Fairfields, Govan | 10 August 1887 | 23 August 1888 | 1889 |- | {{HMS|Magicienne|1888|6}} | Fairfields, Govan | 10 August 1887 | 12 May 1888 | 1889 |- | {{HMS|Medea|1888|6}} | Chatham | 25 April 1887 | 9 June 1888 | 1889 |- | {{HMS|Melpomene|1888|6}} | Portsmouth | 10 October 1887 | 20 September 1888 | 1890 |- | {{HMS|Medusa|1888|6}} | Chatham | 25 August 1887 | 11 August 1888 | 1889 |} thumb|left|HMS ''Magicienne'' (picture taken between 1890 and 1899).

== Boiler trials == By 1901, the Royal Navy had ordered eight Dürr boilers from Germany, to be installed as a trial on board {{HMS|Medusa|1888|2}} as a substitute for the Belleville boilers then in naval use.<ref>{{Cite Hansard |title=Dürr water-tube boilers |volume=92 |column=907 |house=House of Commons |date=22 April 1901 |speaker=William Allan MP |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1901/apr/22/durr-water-tube-boilers#S4V0092P0_19010422_HOC_188 |quote=Eight water-tube boilers of the Durr type have been ordered from Germany. The total cost of the boilers is £19,450. This is exclusive of spare parts and fitting on board. The boilers are to be placed on board H.M.S. "Medusa." They have been guaranteed by the maker to give 155,000 lbs. dry steam per hour from feed water at 80 deg. F., with an air pressure of 1½ inches; 104,000 lbs. per hour with ½ inch air pressure (that used for continuous steaming); and 80,000 lbs. per hour with natural draught. }}</ref>

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==Notes== {{Reflist}}

==References== *{{Colledge: Ships RN|year=2006}} *{{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|author-link=Norman Friedman|title=British Cruisers of the Victorian Era|date=1912|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|ISBN=978-1-84832-099-4}} *{{cite book|last=Winfield|first=Rif|title=The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815-1889|date=1904|publisher=Chatham Publishing|ISBN=1-86176-032-9}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Marathon class cruiser}} *[http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/marathon_class.htm www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk]

{{Marathon class cruisers}}

Category:Cruiser classes Category:Marathon-class cruisers Category:Ship classes of the Royal Navy