Misplaced Pages

Chinese protected cruiser Hai Yung
Class overview
Name	Hai Yung class
Builders	AG Vulcan Stettin, Stettin, German Empire
Operators	Imperial Chinese Navy  Republic of China Navy
Preceded by	Tung Chi class
Succeeded by	Hai Qi class
Cost	£163,000
Built	1896–1898
In service	1898–1935, 1937
Planned	3
Completed	3
Lost	3
General characteristics
Type	Protected cruiser
Displacement	2,680 tons (standard) 2,950 t (full load)
Length	99.97 m (328 ft 0 in) o/a
Beam	12.42 m (40 ft 9 in)
Draught	5.79 m (19 ft 0 in)
Propulsion	2 shafts, 2 VTE engines, 8-cylindrical boilers, 7,500 bhp (5,600 kW)
Speed	19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph)
Range	2,100–5,000 nmi (3,900–9,300 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	244
Armament	3 × 150 mm (6 in)/70 (3 × 1) 8 × 105 mm (4 in)/40 (8 × 1) 6 × 50 mm (2 in)/40 (6 × 1) 3 × 356 mm (14 in) torpedo tubes (3 × 1)
Armour	Deck: 32–70 mm (1–3 in) Conning tower: 37 mm (1 in) Turrets: 51 mm (2 in)

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

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. 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

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.

Ships

See also

• Hai Qi-class cruiser
• Gazelle-class cruiser

Notes

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.

External links

• https://web.archive.org/web/20110109014049/http://www.beiyang.org/bybq/hairong.htm

v t e Hai Yung-class cruisers
Imperial Chinese Navy  Republic of China Navy	Hai Yung Hai Chou Hai Chen
Preceded by: Tung Chi class Followed by: Hai Qi class
List of cruisers of the Republic of China Navy

• Cruiser classes
• Hai Yung-class cruisers