seven class pre dreadnought battleships built royal_navy 1890s ship commissioned served flagship second command channel_fleet years transferred mediterranean_fleet time assigned blockading crete uprising returned home briefly assigned coast guard ship ireland second flagship home_fleet ship reduced reserve accidentally collided submarine hms following year empress india taken service early accidentally struck german sailing ship tow sunk target ship design description design royal sovereign class ships derived admiral class ironclad battleships greatly enlarged improve provide space secondary armament preceding class ironclad battleships ships displaced long tons normal load long tons deep load length perpendiculars feet overall length feet inches beam feet draught feet inches flagship empress india crew consisted officers ratings royal powered pair cylinder vertical triple expansion steam engines driving shaft engines designed produce total indicated horsepower maximum speed knots mph steam provided cylindrical boilers forced draught ships carried maximum long tons coal gave range nautical miles speed knots mph main armament consisted breech loading inch guns mounted twin gun barbettes fore aft superstructure gun provided rounds secondary armament consisted quick firing inch guns rounds gun carried ships sixteen pounder dozen pounder hotchkiss guns fitted defence torpedo boats pounders upper fighting removed remaining light guns lower fighting tops main deck followed royal sovereign class ships mounted seven inch torpedo tubes removed armour scheme similar waterline belt compound armour protected area barbettes inch belt transverse bulkheads inches thick closed ends belt belt inch steel armour closed inch transverse bulkheads barbettes protected compound armour ranging thickness inches casemates inch guns thickness equal diameter armour deck ranged inches walls forward conning tower inches thick aft conning tower protected inch plates construction career named title queen_victoria ship serve royal_navy ordered naval defence act programme renown laid july dockyard ship renamed launched man killed cable snapped following day ship transferred completed august cost empress india commissioned chatham september relieve ironclad battleship flagship second command channel_fleet participated annual manoeuvres english channel unit august year ship fitted reduce rolling june ships representing royal_navy opening germany summer ship took annual manoeuvres held july august private ship december paid chatham june following day empress india recommissioned service mediterranean_fleet departing took june ship arrived malta begin mediterranean service august august september blockading crete turkish uprising ship relieved battleship september departed gibraltar october october paid devonport recommissioned day command captain relieve ironclad battleship howe ireland coast guard ship flagship rear admiral senior naval officer coast ireland station ship began extensive refit plymouth early march refit upper deck inch guns received casemates improve protection assigned home_fleet served flagship port flagship second command fleet sea ship participated august empress india served flagship fleet combined manoeuvres home_fleet mediterranean fleet portugal august august port engine broke hours fleet leave sister ship relieved flagship second command home_fleet june private ship battleship relieved february ship paid day day empress india recommissioned reserve devonport relieved battleship flagship new reserve home july participated manoeuvres september protected cruiser relieved duties recommissioned october new nucleus crew resume duties underwent refit lasted empress india collided submarine april abolished february home_fleet empress india continued service flagship rear admiral devonport division relieved flagship protected cruiser days later ship recommissioned special service vessel empress india relieved sister ship parent ship special service vessels november march ship left portsmouth tow armoured cruiser warrior route laid collided german barque route return portsmouth repairs finally arrived months later laid awaiting disposal sinking november target ship firing trials primarily intended officers men idea effect live shell real target secondary objective look problems caused ships firing target time ship engage stationary light cruiser liverpool followed dreadnought battleships pre dreadnought battleship finally dreadnought battleships neptune king george vanguard stern sinking received inch inch hits surprising elderly ship sank intention repeat firing longer range sank settled upside salvage soon carried jersey company owned rights vessel big hole shell salvage divers removing wreck accessible deep dive recreational divers details firing given table
HMS Empress of India