Canopus-class battleship

HMS Glory
Class overview
Name	Canopus-class battleship
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	Majestic class
Succeeded by	Formidable class
Built	1896–1902
In commission	1899–1919
Completed	6
Lost	2
Retired	4
General characteristics
Type	Pre-dreadnought battleship
Displacement	Full load: 14,300 long tons (14,500 t)
Length	421 ft 6 in (128.5 m) (loa)
Beam	74 ft (22.6 m)
Draught	26 ft (7.9 m)
Installed power	20 × water tube boilers 13,500 ihp (10,100 kW)
Propulsion	2 × screw propellers 2 × triple-expansion steam engines
Speed	18 knots (33 km/h)
Complement	682
Armament	2 × 2 BL 12 in (305 mm) 35-caliber Mk VIII guns 12 × QF 6 in (152 mm) 40-caliber guns 10 × 12-pounder 76 mm (3 in) quick-firing guns 6 × 3-pounder guns 4 × 18 in (457 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour	Belt 6 in Bulkheads: 6–10 in (152–254 mm) Barbettes: 12 in Turrets: 8 in (203 mm) Casemates: 6 in Conning tower: 12 in Decks: 1–2 in (25–51 mm)

The Canopus class was a group of six pre-dreadnought battleships of the British Royal Navy built in the late 1890s. The ships were designed by the Director of Naval Construction, William White, for use on the China Station. The class comprised Canopus, the lead ship, and Glory, Albion, Ocean, Goliath, and Vengeance. The class was armed with a main battery of four BL 12 inch Mk VIII naval guns and a secondary battery of twelve QF 6-inch guns. Compared to the preceding Majestic-class battleships, the Canopus class was smaller, faster, and less heavily armoured, though they adopted new, stronger Krupp armour, which was more effective than the Harvey steel used in the Majestics. In addition to the Krupp steel, the ships also adopted several other changes, including water-tube boilers, in-line funnels, and a full-length armoured belt.

The six ships of the Canopus class served abroad for much of their early careers, with all six of them seeing service on the China Station in the early 1900s. In addition, Canopus also served with the Mediterranean Fleet during this period. In 1905, with the signing of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, the Royal Navy withdrew most of its heavy units from the Far East, and the six Canopus-class ships returned to British waters, seeing further service with the Home, Channel, and the Atlantic Fleets through 1908. From then to 1910, most of the ships saw service with the Mediterranean Fleet, before being reduced to reserve status or other secondary duties thereafter.

With Britain's entry into the First World War in August 1914, the ships were mobilised as the 8th Battle Squadron, but they were quickly dispersed to other stations, serving as guard ships and convoy escorts. Canopus participated in the hunt for the German East Asia Squadron, which culminated in the Battle of the Falkland Islands in December 1914. In early 1915, most of the ships were sent to the eastern Mediterranean Sea to take part in the Dardanelles Campaign against the Ottoman Empire. During these operations, Ocean and Goliath were sunk, in March and May 1915, respectively. Canopus and Albion were withdrawn from active service in 1916, thereafter being used as barracks ships. Glory served as the flagship of the British North Russia Squadron, while Vengeance took part in operations off German East Africa in 1916. After the war, all four survivors were quickly broken up in the early 1920s.