"HOWE"
Delivered at Portsmouth 15 November '85 for guns to be fitted and commissioned 18 July '89 for maneuvers. In May '90 replaced the Iron Duke in the Channel and on 2 November '92 during the Mediterranean cruise grounded on Ferrol Rock; was salvaged by a Swedish firm under extraordinary difficulties and floated off 30 March '93; completed temporary repairs at Ferrol in April. Paid off at Chatham for a full overhaul costing £45,000. In October '93 relieved the Edinburgh in the Mediterranean coming home in December '96 and was then stationed at Queenstown as port guard ship. Served there, with periodic absence for maneuvers, until October '01; Devon port Reserve until July-September '04 maneuvers, which was her last spell of sea time. Moored in Hamoaze in Fleet Reserve until sold on I October 1910 for £25,100.
Arrived at Portsmouth from Pembroke in March '87 and for two years lay
waiting for guns while slowly completing for sea. Commissioned 28 May '89 as
R.A. Flag Channel fleet. In September '93 went up the Straits where she served
until January 1900 (refit Malta '96). Paid off at Devon port into C Reserve
and transferred to A Reserve in February '01, commissioning for the new Home
Fleet in March '01. In May '04 paid off into B Reserve at Chatham.
"CAMPERDOWN"
Commissioned at Portsmouth 18 July '89 for Home Fleet maneuvers, going
into reserve in September. In December '89 went to the Mediterranean as
flagship until May '90 when she was transferred to the Channel (flag)
replacing the old Northumberland. Paid
off May '92 in Fleet Reserve A commissioning for maneuvers in July '92 after
which she again was sent up the Straits. Collided with and sank the Victoria on 22 June '93 and was under repair from July to September
During '96-'97 underwent a large refit when the chart-house was altered and
the signal mast stepped. Paid off at Portsmouth in September '99 B Reserve and
in May 1900 into Dockyard Reserve C. Commissioned July 1900 as coastguard ship
at Lough Swilly until May '03 when she paid off into B Reserve at Chatham and
was prepared as berthing ship to submarines at Ilarwich where she lay from
October '08 until sold 11 July 1911 for £28,000.
"RODNEY"
Commissioned at Chatham 20 June '88 for Home Fleet and was flagship at
maneuvers from August '88 until July '89 was in reserve at Portsmouth.
Maneuvers July-September '89 and then relieved the Monarch in the Channel where she served from May '90 to May '94, and
then went to the Mediterranean. Returned home in September '97 and served as
coastguard ship at Queensferry from September '97 to February '01 when she was
relieved by Anson and paid off into
Chatham Fleet Reserve B. In July '06 was shown in Special Reserve and sold on
11 May '09 for £21,350.
Damage sustained by the "Camperdown" in collision with
"Victoria"
Before the Camperdown's way
was stopped her stem had penetrated 6 ft. into the Victoria, and then the sterns swung together about 20 deg, which
exaggerated the injuries to both ships. Camperdown
injured her stem piece and damaged the thin plating at the port bow, so
that a considerable amount of water was quickly shipped and she was soon down
by the head. But for the prompt action of her carpenter, who succeeded in
building a wooden barrier across the main deck, she might very well have been
lost. As it was, the water rose to the top of the barrier but did not overflow
it. Her metacentric height became almost nil, and but for careful handling and
smooth water she would have turned over.
In these ships every bulkhead and platform was perforated to permit of
"drainage" water being conducted from any compartment-including the chain locker and coal bunkers--to the
main drain and thence to the engine room. Every perforation was fitted with a
valve of some kind, but many were very inaccessible and dust and grit often
prevented their being closed properly. The seepage into the Camperdown
was instrumental in a considerable modification being adopted with
drainage in subsequent ships.