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Hai Yung-class cruiser

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Chinese protected cruiser Hai Yung
Class overview
NameHai Yung class
BuildersAG Vulcan Stettin, Stettin, German Empire
Operators
Preceded byTung Chi class
Succeeded byHai Qi class
Cost£163,000
Built1896–1898
In service1898–1935, 1937
Planned3
Completed3
Lost3
General characteristics
TypeProtected cruiser
Displacement
  • 2,680 tons (standard)
  • 2,950 t (full load)
Length99.97 m (328 ft 0 in) o/a
Beam12.42 m (40 ft 9 in)
Draught5.79 m (19 ft 0 in)
Propulsion2 shafts, 2 VTE engines, 8-cylindrical boilers, 7,500 bhp (5,600 kW)
Speed19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph)
Range2,100–5,000 nmi (3,900–9,300 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement244
Armament
Armour

The Hai Yung class (Chinese: 海容; pinyin: Hǎiróng) was a class of protected cruisers built for the Qing Dynasty from 1897 to 1898 and would then pass to the new Republic of China Navy. The ships would serve during the National Protection War, World War I, the Second Zhili–Fengtian War, and the Northern Expedition.

Background

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After the conclusion of the First Sino-Japanese War the Imperial Chinese Navy was decimated, with almost all major ships destroyed or captured. The following years was followed by a decade of Unequal treaties with the European great powers highlighted the need to rebuild Chinese naval strength. In May 1896 the Qing government appointed the Marquis of Suyi, Li Hongzhang to head a mission to acquire western built battleships. By the end of August 1896, the mission visited Russia (to negotiate the Li–Lobanov Treaty), Germany, France, Belgium and the United Kingdom. Li then visited the United States. Being able to only secure a modest loan and with the continued instability and turmoil in China, a more modest plan to order five protected cruisers, two protected cruisers from Armstrong Whitworth and three from AG Vulcan Stettin were ordered. Four destroyers from Schichau were also ordered.[1] The Vulcan built ships were to be named Hai Yung (Chinese: 海容; pinyin: Hǎiróng; lit. 'Sea Capacity'), Hai Chou (Chinese: 海籌; pinyin: Hǎichóu; lit. 'Sea Token') and Hai Chen (Chinese: 海琛; pinyin: Hǎichēn; lit. 'Sea Treasure').

Design

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The Hai Yung class were small ocean-going class of protected cruisers with an overall length of 99.97 m (328 ft 0 in), a beam of 12.42 m (40 ft 9 in) and a draught of 5.79 m (19 ft 0 in). The ships were powered by two four-cylinder three-expansion reciprocating steam engines, fired by four coal boilers pushing two two-shaft propellers that could reach a top speed of 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph). The maximum coal bunker capacity 580 tons, with an endurance of 2,100–5,000 nmi (3,900–9,300 km; 2,400–5,800 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph). The Hai Yung class were the first Chinese cruisers armed with new quick-firing guns, possessing three single 150 mm (6 in)/70 guns, a secondary battery of eight single 105 mm (4 in)/40 guns and a tertiary armament of six 50 mm (2 in)/40 guns. The ships was armed with two single 356 mm (14 in) torpedo tubes mounted on the sides and with a single tube in the bow. The Hai Yungs resembled the British Apollo-class and Italian Regioni-class protected cruisers, and may have been modeled on the similar Dutch Gelderland-class cruisers.[2]

Ships

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Name Builder Laid Launched Completed Fate
Hai Yung (海容)
pinyin: Hǎiróng
AG Vulcan Stettin 1896 15 September 1897 27 July 1898 Scuttled at Jiangyin on 11 August 1937 as a blockship.
Hai Chou (海籌)
pinyin: Hǎichóu
AG Vulcan Stettin 1896 11 December 1897 24 August 1898 Scuttled at Jiangyin on 11 August 1937 as a blockship.
Hai Chen (海琛)
pinyin: Hǎichēn
AG Vulcan Stettin 1896 12 February 1898 21 September 1898 Scuttled at Jiangyin on 11 August 1937 as a blockship.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Wright, Richard N J (2000). The Chinese Steam Navy: 1862–1945 (First ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. pp. 110–114. ISBN 1861761449.
  2. ^ Gardiner, Robert (1979). Conway's all the world's fighting ships, 1860–1905 (1st American ed.). New York: Mayflower Books. ISBN 0831703024.
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