HMS Neptune (1874)

History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Neptune
Namesake	Neptune
Builder	J & W Dudgeon, Cubitt Town, London
Cost	£600,000
Laid down	1873
Launched	10 September 1874
Completed	3 September 1881
Acquired	February–March 1878
Commissioned	28 March 1883
Fate	Sold for scrap 15 September 1903
General characteristics
Type	Ironclad turret ship
Displacement	8,964 long tons (9,108 t)
Length	300 ft (91.4 m) (p/p)
Beam	63 ft (19.2 m)
Draught	25 ft (7.6 m)
Installed power	8,832 ihp (6,586 kW)
Propulsion	1 shaft, 1 2-cylinder Trunk steam engine, 8 rectangular boilers
Sail plan	Barque-rigged
Speed	14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Range	1,480 nmi (2,740 km; 1,700 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	541
Armament	4 × 12.5-inch (317 mm) rifled muzzle-loading guns 2 × 9-inch (229 mm) rifled muzzle-loading guns 6 × 20-pounder breech-loading guns 2 × 14 in (360 mm) torpedo launchers
Armour	Belt: 9–12 in (229–305 mm) Decks: 1–3 in (25–76 mm) Citadel: 10 in (254 mm) Gun turrets: 11–13 in (279–330 mm) Conning tower: 6–8 in (152–203 mm) Bulkheads: 8 in (203 mm)

HMS Neptune was an ironclad turret ship originally designed and built in Britain for Brazil, but acquired for the Royal Navy in 1878. Modifications to suit the Royal Navy took three years to complete and the ship did not begin her first commission until 1883 with the Channel Fleet. She was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet in 1885, but refitted in Portsmouth in 1886–87. Neptune then became the coastguard ship for the 1st Class Reserve at Holyhead until 1893 when she was placed in reserve in Portsmouth. While she was being towed to the breakers in 1903, Neptune unintentionally rammed HMS Victory, then serving as a training hulk for the Naval Signal School, collided with HMS Hero, and narrowly missed several other ships. She was scrapped in Germany in 1904.