sms sms majesty ship unprotected cruiser class fifth member class ships built imperial_german_navy overseas duty cruiser keel laid danzig launched commissioned july armed main battery centimeter guns steam speed knots mph spent majority career abroad usually germany colonies duties typically consisted survey work suppressing colonial unrest briefly cruised south african waters late early steaming pacific participated seizure concession china returned germany modernized following year returned remained outbreak world war august docked repairs onset hostilities unable actively fighting disarmed scuttled harbor guns strengthen defenses port description meters long overall beam draft forward displaced long tons short tons combat load propulsion system consisted horizontal cylinder triple expansion steam engines powered coal fired cylindrical boilers provided speed mph range approximately nautical miles mph crew officers enlisted men ship armed quick firing guns single pedestal mounts supplied rounds ammunition total range guns placed forward broadside aft gun armament rounded hotchkiss guns equipped torpedo tubes torpedoes mounted deck service history built imperial shipyard danzig keel laid completed hull launched kaiser attended launching ceremony senior director work completed july commissioned imperial_german_navy following commissioning underwent months sea trials completed september starting assigned overseas service germany colonial possessions initially ordered october replace sms wolf rising tensions south_africa led navy send new cruiser german secure german interests region instead october newly commissioned sister ship left germany bound arrived capital portuguese december remained seven months january towed portuguese cruiser july arrived replace free return original deployment east asian waters left july route stopped paid official visit sultan august steaming safety valve starboard low pressure cylinder starboard engine damaged result persia repairs following completion repair work cruised paid visits local german consul turkish authorities deployment pacific september arrived singapore joined command rear admiral flew flag armored cruiser july participated recovery stranded october november steamed involved occupation concession went philippines spanish american war american cruiser prevented entering november towed kaiser hong_kong repairs tense political situation prompted admiralty staff send reinforce sisters route night march ran aground reef north western tip stuck reef amidships bow sticking meter water crew attempted ship removing coal ammunition remained grounded reef ship commander sent steam officers men load coal nautical miles away met steamer stettin arrived scene march decided remove unnecessary coal ammunition ashore rest simply thrown overboard cut away fore mainmast stern guns forward measures allowed ship float free reef crew supplies sent ashore returning inspected additional supplies brought aboard steamed sydney dry docking inspection hull revealed slightly damaged repairs lasted early june returned sydney mid june annual overhaul crew replaced men sent china suppression boxer rebellion october anchored embarking tour colonies overhaul sydney followed lasted march period protected cruiser represented germany melbourne return journey sent islands german researcher named murdered assistant survey vessel attacked responsible murders july returned november ship occupied survey work trips islands visited repairs effected sydney cruiser august tour germany colonies began september returned sydney periodic maintenance mid march received order return germany departed sydney bound germany reached kiel september germany served stint main fleet ship modernized lengthy reconstruction started danzig new boilers manufactured danzig installed sailing rig reduced new larger conning tower installed work completed recommissioned service pacific second deployment pacific malta june received orders proceed asia minor unrest turkey violence prompting german intervention joined cruisers stettin took protect harassment july moored received order resume voyage pacific forced stop repairs boilers reaching pacific began coastal survey work landing party led expedition november took flag raising ceremony commemorating german possession days later crew participated groundbreaking ceremony town southwest capital november embarked governor went river cruiser steamed nautical miles river ordered reverse course november reached mouth river january moored participated celebrations tenth anniversary german annexation islands lasted february march trip hong_kong caught hurricane significant damage cruiser sides slightly pushed boats damaged storm temporary repairs effected finally arrived hong_kong july returned joined sister armored cruiser light cruisers ships cruised december ordered proceed suppress arrived december operated area february landing shore parties support force police officers deployed german new_guinea march returned sydney annual overhaul afterward resumed typical cruising duties colonies september steamer planet pulled free norwegian barque run aground received major overhaul followed surveying cruises german colonies return january reclassified february order admiral state secretary june july underwent repairs sydney obliged stop tribal feuds island landed shore party assist suppressing conflict departed repair work early arriving political situation europe worsened july senior officer time frigate captain commander ordered repair work accelerated outbreak war early august captured russian steamer brought service decommissioned crew man commissioned auxiliary cruiser men war volunteers joined aboard new auxiliary cruiser weaponry removed strengthen shore defenses august protect concession british attack scuttled harbor night september staff prevent captured
SMS Cormoran (1892)