seven orlando class armoured cruisers built royal_navy ship spent brief time reserve assigned years aurora coast guard ship ireland years placed reserve ship recommissioned service crew participated boxer rebellion aurora returned home years later reduced reserve taken service sold scrap october design description orlando class cruisers enlarged versions class armour powerful armament like predecessors intended protect british shipping aurora length perpendiculars feet beam feet draught feet designed displace long tons orlando class ships proved overweight displaced approximately long tons ships powered pair cylinder triple expansion steam engines driving shaft designed produce total indicated horsepower maximum speed knots mph steam provided boilers forced draught ship carried maximum long tons coal designed range nautical miles speed knots mph ship complement officers enlisted men aurora main armament consisted breech loading inch guns gun fore aft superstructure pivot mounts secondary armament inch guns broadside protection torpedo boats provided quick firing pounder hotchkiss guns pounder hotchkiss guns mounted main deck broadside positions ship armed inch torpedo tubes broadside water bow stern water ship protected waterline compound armour belt inches thick covered middle feet ship feet inches high ship overweight armour belt feet waterline fully loaded ends armour belt closed transverse bulkheads inches lower deck inches thick length hull conning tower protected inches armour construction service aurora named eponymous roman goddess dawn eighth ship serve royal_navy laid february ship launched october wife captain captain superintendent dockyard completed july cost aurora went straight reserve devonport completion commissioned service transferred ireland serve local ship year ship reassigned remained aurora participated queen_victoria review june aurora recommissioned service far_east command captain crew including took july boxer rebellion early february ordered leave arriving march malta march plymouth march officers crew received china war medal april paid devonport days later aurora refitted return placed taken service following year ship sold scrap wales october
HMS Aurora (1887)