HMS Pactolus (1896)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Pactolus.

HMS Pactolus was a Pelorus class cruiser of the Royal Navy. There were eleven ""Third class"" protected cruisers in the class, which was designed by Sir William White. While well armed for their size, they were primarily workhorses for the overseas fleet on “police” duties and did not serve with the main battlefleet.

They displaced 2,135 tons, had a crew complement of 224 men and were armed with eight QF 4 inch (102 mm) (25 pounder) guns, eight 3 pounder guns, 3 machine guns, and two 18 inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes. With reciprocating triple expansion engines and a variety of boilers, the top speed was 20 knots (37 km/h).

HMS Pactolus was laid down at Armstrong, Elswick on May 1896, launched on 21 December 1896, and sold for scrap on 25 October 1921. HMS Pactolus and HMS Pomone had Blechynden boilers which were particularly unreliable, and they were removed from active service several years before others in the class.

References

• World War I Naval Combat webpage
• Miramar Ship Index listing