hms neptune hms neptune ironclad turret ship originally designed built britain brazil acquired royal_navy modifications suit royal_navy took years complete ship begin commission channel_fleet transferred mediterranean_fleet refitted portsmouth neptune ship 1st class reserve placed reserve portsmouth towed breakers neptune unintentionally rammed serving training hulk collided narrowly missed ships scrapped germany design description hms neptune designed sir version larger sea going version class monitors given provisional adding masts meant adding forecastle bow deck stern provide space required masts rigging blocked firing arcs gun turrets deprived fire original design greatest virtue ship resembled instead enlarged version russo turkish war tensions dramatically escalated russia great_britain feared victorious russian armies occupy turkish capital constantinople british prepared tolerate mobilized royal_navy case war break purchased number ironclads construction including sold ship nearly twice paid devastation years earlier spent bring standards royal_navy british service deemed white elephant thoroughly bad ship respects inherent faults small times danger neptune feet long perpendiculars beam feet draft feet ship normally displaced long tons long tons deep load neptune proved poor wet difficult manoeuvre heavy roller foot result flooded ship sea propulsion neptune cylinder trunk steam engine sons driving single foot propeller rectangular boilers provided steam engine working pressure psi kpa cm2 engine total designed output indicated horsepower produced total ihp sea trials february gave neptune maximum speed knots mph ship carried long tons coal steam nmi knots mph sir described weak ship engines consuming coal daily neptune barque rigged twin funnels close mainmast sails rigging rapidly deteriorated service mast eventually stripped sails yards ship fore masts combination described like half dressed refit ship masts rigging replaced simple pole masts fighting tops fore positions armament ordered inch gun turrets pair inch breech loading guns chase guns replaced british service hms neptune mounted pair inch muzzle loading rifles turret inch rifled muzzle loading guns forecastle chase guns guns traverse ship pounder armstrong guns use guns inch torpedo tubes mounted main deck torpedoes shell calibre inch gun weighed pounds gun weighed long tons muzzle velocity credited ability penetrate nominal inches wrought iron armour muzzle calibre inch gun weighed long tons fired pound shell muzzle velocity credited nominal ability penetrate inch armour muzzle blast main guns deck immediately stand charge guns reduced pounds powder minimize damage armour neptune complete waterline belt wrought iron inches thick amidships inches inches steps ends ship armour extended feet inches waterline feet armoured citadel feet long protected bases gun turrets funnel ventilation shafts engines boilers sides citadel inches thick closed transverse bulkheads inches thick chase guns bow protected patch inch armour faces turrets inches thick sides inches thick backed inches teak armoured deck inches outside citadel inches thick inside neptune provided conning tower protected inches armour situated right foremast regarded adequately installed conning position installed british ironclad service hms neptune laid london shipyard attempted launch july stuck fast second attempt july ship got stuck extensively damaging plating finally launched september towed repairs fitting cost accident resulted bankruptcy ran sea trials december purchased royal_navy march renamed neptune roman god sea taken portsmouth alterations armament equipment took september complete neptune commissioned march service channel_fleet transferred mediterranean_fleet returned portsmouth july refit ship assigned guard ship 1st class reserve neptune paid reserve november portsmouth april transferred fleet reserve ship sold september scrap tow portsmouth october neptune broke cables connecting storm winds strong flood tide pushing pushed harbour narrowly missed training ship hms neptune struck training brig anchored blow hit port making hole deck neptune pushed tides winds came rest bow ram hero finally broken
HMS Neptune (1874)