HMS Leander was a second class cruiser, name ship of the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

's first Leander-class

Leander class cruiser (1882)

The Leander Class were a four ship cruiser programme ordered by the Admiralty in 1880. The class comprised HMS Leander, HMS Phaëton, HMS Amphion and HMS Arethusa.-Genesis:...

 cruiser

Cruiser

A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...

s. During a revolution in Panama in 1900, the Leander helped protect the lives and property of foreign residents.

Design and construction

The Leander was built by Napier in Glasgow, being laid down in 1880, launched in 1882 and completed in 1885. The Leander class were originally designated as steel dispatch vessels, but were reclassified as second class cruisers before they were completed. The design was an improved version of the Iris class

Iris class cruiser

The Iris class comprised two ships, and , which served with the Royal Navy. They were the Royal Navy's first all steel ships.They were designed as dispatch vessels by William White under the direction of Nathaniel Barnaby but were later re-created as Second Class Cruisers...

, with an armoured deck and better armament. The Leander had three masts and two funnels; she was square-rigged on the fore-mast and gaff-rigged on the two masts behind the funnels. She was armed with ten 6-inch BL guns, 16 machineguns and four above-water torpedo-tubes. Four of the machine guns were later replaced by four 3 pdr QFs.

After her sister ship Phaetons

HMS Phaeton (1883)

HMS Phaeton was a second class cruiser of the Leander class which served with the Royal Navy.-Construction:She was built by Napier in Glasgow, being laid down in 1880, launched in 1883 and completed in 1886.-Acceptance Trials:...

 trials, the Leander had her funnels raised 6 ft to improve the draught to the boilers. Once this was done, the Leander exceeded her designed speed. She was the only one of her class to have forced draught. The Leander was a good steamer, but a poor sea-boat with a heavy roll in some sea conditions.

The December 1884 Navy List listed her as being at Chatham, with her commissioned and warrant officers "borne in Pembroke" as follows:

Post	Name	Date of appointment
Lieutenant	(N) George A. Warleigh	25 June 1883
Chief Engineer	John Leigh	8 September 1881
Engineer	Herbert S. Rockett	31 May 1883
Gunner	Charles F. Lethbridge	24 October 1883
Boatswain	Joseph S.M. Hill	7 July 1883
Carpenter	David Howe	12 January 1883
Source: Navy List, December 1884.

1885–1889

On 29 May 1885, Captain Martin J Dunlop arrived on board at Chatham and commissioned the ship. The first few days were spent first cleaning and then provisioning the ship. On 3 June, they tested the flooding arrangements of the magazines and shell rooms and found they were correct. On 5 June at 16:00, Leander was hauled out of the basin and proceeded under steam down the Medway in charge of the pilot and at 17:45 secured to the swinging buoy at Sheerness the engines using 5 tons 8 cwt (5.5 t) of coal and the ship a further 3 cwt (0.15 t); no coal was used distilling. One man fell overboard, and went on the sick list. On 6 June they took on board powder, shot and shell, and 300 lb of fresh beef and 200 lb of vegetables. On 8 June they swung the ship to adjust the compasses. On 9 June, the ship went out for gunnery practice, burning 26 tons 5 cwt (26.7 t) of coal for the engines and 6 cwt (0.3 t) for the ship. She fired 21 rounds from the 6-in BL; firing caused a number of breakages: 1 axial vent for a 6-in BL, the glass of two electric light projectors [searchlights], and the Pawl of Compressor of Admiralty Carriage.

Still secured to the buoy off Sheerness Dockyard, she received 90 lb of fresh vegetables and 182 lb fresh beef on 10 June. On 11 June, she was inspected by the Commander-in-Chief. Repairs in the engine room appeared to be complete by early afternoon, and fires were lighted in four boilers between 14:30 and 15:30; the ship prepared for sea, however soon after 18:00 a defect was found in the after centrifugal fan spindle in the engine room, so fires were banked. Artificers worked all night to repair the defect. Repairs in the engine room were completed by 17:00 on 12 June. Fires were brought forward in the boilers, and at 19:00, the ship slipped and proceeded out under steam. She proceeded to Portsmouth; travelling 154 nautical miles under steam burning 35 tons 18 cwt (36.5 t) coal for the engines and 6 cwt for the ship. At Portsmouth she saluted the admiral superintendent with 11 guns at 14:35. On 15 June she stowed Whitehead torpedoes. Some torpedoes were fired to test them.

On 16 June she proceeded to Berehaven arriving on the evening of 17 June finding there the Evolutionary Squadron consisting of Minotaur

HMS Minotaur (1863)

HMS Minotaur was the lead ship of the armoured frigates built for the Royal Navy during the 1860s. They were the longest single-screw warships ever built. Minotaur took nearly four years between her launching and commissioning because she was used for evaluations of her armament and different...

, Hercules

HMS Hercules (1868)

HMS Hercules was a central-battery ironclad of the Royal Navy in the Victorian era, and was the first warship to mount a main armament of calibre guns....

, Agincourt

HMS Agincourt (1865)

HMS Agincourt was one of three Minotaur class ironclads, the sistership of HMS Minotaur and a near sister to HMS Northumberland...

, Sultan

HMS Sultan (1870)

HMS Sultan was a broadside ironclad of the Royal Navy of the Victorian era, who carried her main armament in a central box battery. She was named for Sultan Abdülâziz of the Ottoman Empire, who was visiting England when she was laid down. Abdülâziz cultivated, good relations with the Second French...

, Polyphemus

HMS Polyphemus (1881)

The third HMS Polyphemus was a Royal Navy torpedo ram, serving from 1881 until 1903. A shallow-draft, fast, low-profile vessel, she was designed to penetrate enemy harbours at speed and sink anchored ships. Designed by Nathaniel Barnaby primarily as a protected torpedo boat, the ram was provided...

, Devastation

HMS Devastation (1871)

HMS Devastation was the first of two Devastation-class mastless turret ships built for the British Royal Navy. This was the first class of ocean-going capital ship that did not carry sails, and the first whose entire main armament was mounted on top of the hull rather than inside it...

, Iron Duke

HMS Iron Duke (1870)

The first HMS Iron Duke was an iron Audacious-class central battery ironclad.She was originally to have been called HMS Duke but she was nicknamed Iron Duke during construction as she was armoured unlike many other vessels under construction. The phrase was already in circulation as it was a...

, Hotspur

HMS Hotspur (1870)

HMS Hotspur was a Victorian Royal Navy ironclad ram – a warship armed with guns but whose primary weapon was a ram.-Background:It had been recognised since the time of the Roman Empire or before that a ship, while it might carry weaponry, was itself a potent weapon if used as a missile...

, Lord Warden

HMS Lord Warden (1865)

HMS Lord Warden was the second and final ship to be completed of the Lord Clyde class.She was heavier than her sister, by about 360 tons; partly because she carried heavier machinery and was fitted with a poop, and partly because the wood used for the construction of Lord Clyde was, as it...

, Repulse

HMS Repulse (1868)

HMS Repulse was the last wooden battleship constructed for the Royal Navy.She was laid down as a 90-gun second-rate line-of-battle ship with two decks; having been approved for conversion to a broadside ironclad in 1861, work on her was intentionally delayed until the performance of earlier...

, Shannon

HMS Shannon (1875)

The eighth HMS Shannon was the first British armoured cruiser. She was the last Royal Navy ironclad to be built which had a propeller that could be hoisted out of the water to reduce drag when she was under sail, and the first to have an armoured deck....

, Ajax

HMS Ajax (1880)

HMS Ajax was the first of the two Royal Navy Ajax class ironclad battleships to be laid down, but was completed one day later than her sister,...

, Penelope

HMS Penelope (1867)

HMS Penelope was the last small ironclad to be commissioned in the Royal Navy.Because of the absence through illness of the Chief Constructor, Sir Edward Reed, the design of this ship was entrusted to his brother-in-law and the future Chief Constructor, Nathaniel Barnaby.-Design:She was...

, Hecla, Rupert

HMS Rupert (1872)

HMS Rupert was a battleship of the Victorian Royal Navy, whose principal weapon was designed to be her ram.-Design:She was similar in design to , but unlike her carried a revolving turret similar to that carried in...

, Cormorant

HMS Cormorant (1877)

HMS Cormorant was an Osprey-class sloop launched at Chatham on 12 September 1877 and later the receiving ship at Gibraltar. She was renamed Rooke in 1946 and broken up in 1949.-Design:...

, Conquest, Mercury

HMS Mercury (1878)

HMS Mercury was an Iris class second class cruiser of the Royal Navy. The two ships of the class were the first all steel ships in the Royal Navy. She was distinguished from the Iris by her straight bow, which gave her a slightly shorter length of 315 feet...

, Racer

HMS Racer (1884)

HMS Racer was a Royal Navy Mariner-class composite screw gunvessel of 8 guns.-Construction:Designed by Nathaniel Barnaby, the Royal Navy Director of Naval Construction, her hull was of composite construction; that is, iron keel, frames, stem and stern posts with wooden planking...

, Mariner

HMS Mariner (1884)

HMS Mariner was the name-ship of the Royal Navy Mariner-class composite screw gunvessel of 8 guns.-Construction:Designed by Nathaniel Barnaby, the Royal Navy Director of Naval Construction, her hull was of composite construction; that is, iron keel, frames, stem and stern posts with wooden planking...

, Hawke. At 18:30 she saluted the flag of Admiral Sir Geoffrey Phipps Hornby with 17 guns.

Evolutionary Squadron was engaged in what became the first of the Victorian Royal Navy's annual manoeuvres. When the Leander joined on 17 June, she was attached to the ships blockading Berehaven. On 18 June "the weather was so stormy that all exercises were suspended... After sunset, the Conquest, Mercury, Leander, Racer, Cormorant and Mariner with the torpedo boats attached to them got under way top take up their position of observation outside the haven. The weather proved so boisterous that the blockading division returned before it had reached the open water outside. In returning... the Leander, while manoeuvring to keep clear of the Conquest, struck on the Hornet rock, and was seriously injured. As soon as the accident occurred the engines were stopped, the watertight doors closed, the pumps were set going, and collision mats and sails were passed under the ship's bottom. After some time it was found that e pumps failed to gain on the leak. On the following day the ship was moved nearer the shore, so as to be ready to beach in case of necessity. Early, however on the 21st the divers succeeded in finding the leak and stopping it with the patent leak-stopper. The ship's hold was thereupon cleared of water." It was not until 24 June that Leander was ready to go to sea again. On 26 June, the Leander, escorted by the Mercury, arrived at Devonport, where she was placed in dock. The damage to the Leader was described as follows: "The sea entered through numerous rivet holes where rivets had been sheared, but the compartment kept the ship afloat in a working condition." Amongst the stores destroyed by water were 168 lb of soft soap and 400 lb powder (propellant for the guns). The repairs to the ship cost £8,947.

After her brief service with the 1885 Evolutionary Squadron, the Leander served on the China Station.

The December 1885 Navy List listed her commissioned and warrant officers as follows:

Post	Name	Date of appointment
Captain	Martin J Dunlop	29 May 1885
Lieutenant	(G) Henry C.A. Baynes	29 May 1885
	(N) Lewis K Bell	29 May 1885
	Rupert G.H. Blomfield	26 November 1885
	Richard P. Fitzgerald	10 September 1885
	Henry E.F. Worthington	30 June 1886
Staff Surgeon	Francis R.M. Loftie	29 May 1885
Staff Paymaster	Charles W. Cole	29 May 1885
Staff Engineer	John Leigh	8 September 1881
Sub-Lieutenant	Ernest A. Martin	25 November 1886
Assistant Paymaster	Francis H. Hale	29 May 1885
Engineer	Edwin C. Carnt	29 May 1885
Assistant Engineer	Henry C.W. Peel	29 May 1885
	Frederick Jarvis	17 April 1886
Gunner	Charles F. Lethbridge	24 October 1883
	(T) George Key	3 September 1885
Boatswain	Joseph S.M. Hill	7 July 1883
	Michael Kennelly	4 June 1885
	Charles Callaghan	4 June 1885
	John Crocombe	4 June 1885
Carpenter	David Howe	12 January 1883
Source: Navy List, December 1885.

1889–1892

The Leander was re-commissioned at Hong Kong by Captain Burges Watson on 5 April 1889, and served again on the China Station.

The July 1890 Navy List listed her commissioned and warrant officers as follows:

Post	Name	Date of appointment
Captain	Burges Watson	1 February 1889
Lieutenant	(G) Thomas H. Fisher	1 February 1889
	George G Haswell	1 February 1889
	(N) Arthur Y. Morridge	1 February 1889
	Ernest A. Martin	25 November 1886
	Philip H. Colomb	1 February 1889
	Herbert G. Smith	5 April 1889
Staff Surgeon	John Lyon M.D.	1 February 1889
Staff Paymaster	John K. Mosse	19 September 1889
Staff Engineer	Mathew R. Miller	1 February 1889
Surgeon	William Eames	1 February 1889
Engineer	Henry Wallis	1 February 1889
Assistant Engineer	Herbert B.T. Cox	1 February 1889
	Edward W. Liversidge	1 February 1889
Gunner	William Howesgo	1 February 1889
Boatswain	William Cousins	1 February 1889
	(T) John Welsh	8 November 1889
	William H Hayman	1 February 1889
	Mark Hitchcock	17 February 1890
	John Connelly	4 March 1890
Carpenter	George B. Maben	1 February 1889
Clerk	William Bell	27 February 1890
Source: Navy List July 1890.

1892–1895

The Leander was re-commissioned at Hong Kong by Captain William Mc C.F. Castle on 3 May 1892, and served again on the China Station.

The December 1892 Navy List listed her commissioned and warrant officers as follows:

Post	Name	Date of appointment
Captain	William Mc C.F. Castle	25 February 1892
Lieutenant	William B. May	25 February 1892
	Lionel H. St. C. Coxon	25 February 1892
	William G. VanIngen	25 February 1892
	(N) Arthur Hayes-Sadler Arthur Hayes-Sadler Admiral Arthur Hayes-Sadler CBE CSI was a senior Royal Navy officer during World War I.-Naval career:Born the son Sir James Hayes Sadler KCMG, Arthur Hayes-Sadler joined the Royal Navy in 1877. He took part in the bombardment of Alexandria in 1882 and then served with the Naval Brigade...	25 February 1892
	Edward M. Hale	25 February 1892
Lieutenant R.N.R.	Hugh F. David (act)	25 February 1892
Lieutenant Marine	Arthur W. Wylde	22 July 1892
Staff Surgeon	Edward Ferguson	25 February 1892
Paymaster	Arthur J. Brows	25 February 1892
Staff Engineer	Richard Harris	19 January 1892
Engineer	Thomas S Guver	25 February 1892
Assistant Engineer	William Donbow	[not stated]
Gunner	William H. Minter	25 February 1892
Boatswain	Joseph White	25 February 1892
	(T) William H.D. Strath	25 February 1892
	John Isaac (in lieu of a Sub-Lieutenant)	2 March 1892
Carpenter	James Goss	25 February 1892
Clerk	William Davies	3 May 1892
Source: Navy List December 1892.

1895–1897

The following account of the Leander's time in reserve and her refit was written at least 25 years after the event by a retired paymaster officer. In some details this is at variance with the account in the Leander's logbook for 1897 (see next section).

"The Leander paid off at Chatham after many years in China [in November 1895]. Naturally she was in a bad state, and the Dockyard officers reported her as only fit for C Division of the Reserve; that is to say, she required an extensive refit, which meant landing all her stores and stripping her. This was reported to the Controller [Rear Admiral J.A. Fisher], and he wired back that the Leander was to be paid off into the A Division, meaning that no repairs were to be taken in hand, and that her name would appear in the list of ships ready for sea at forty-eight hours notice. As this was contrary to Regulations, besides being false, a further report was made to the Admiralty. Fisher replied: 'If the dockyard offers will not do as I tell them, I will replace them by others who will.' The Leander paid off all standing, and I was ordered to keep her defect lists and reports of the survey until the Admiralty should be pleased to order them to be taken in hand. After some months [actually 1897] Admiralty orders were received for the Leander to be commissioned by Captain Fegen for the Pacific. We reported that she was unfit to go to sea until refitted. The reply was that the Admiralty orders were to be obeyed. The Leander did commission at Chatham. She got as far as Portsmouth, where Sir Nowel Salmon was Commander-in-Chief, whom Fisher could not bully. the result was that the Leander was detained at Portsmouth to have her necessary defects made good. If anything had happened to her owing to her unseaworthy state, it would have been scandalous."

1897–1901

HMS Leander was commissioned by Captain FF Fegen at Chatham on Tuesday 8 June 1897. On the morning on 11 June, she was moved to No 8 buoy Sheerness, where she was swung to measure the deviation of her magnetic compass. On 16 June she was moved to No 4 Buoy in Little Nore, and the next day to the Downs off Deal. At 2115 on 19 June she weighed anchor and proceeded to Spithead, where she arrived the next day. She remained at Spithead until 2 July, and then went to Berehaven, arriving on 4 July. She left Berehaven on 7 July, going to the rendezvous for manoeuvres. She then stopped at Falmouth Harbour four hours on 11 July. She had gunnery practice on 12 July, expending 25 6-in common shell, 5 6-in shrapnel, 10 6-in blanks, and 27 rounds of 3-pdr Hotchkiss. She then returned to Sheerness arriving on 14 July. On 20 July, dockyard hands started being employed on board each day, finishing on 9 August (including weekends). Typically the number of dockyard hands was between 11 and 22. On 12 August she was reswung at Sheerness, and then she put to sea arriving at Plymouth the next day. She remained at Plymouth until she sailed for Vigo on 19 August, arriving on 22 August. She was again reswung off Vigo on 24 August 1897. She arrived at Valparaiso (Chile) on 28 October. She had gunnery practice again in November 1897, expending 35 cast steel 6-in filled common shell, 5 iron 6-in filled shrapnel shells, 20 3-pdr, 78 cartridges saluting, 2 green very lights, and 1,120 rounds .45” machine gun ball cartridges.

The 1898 Navy List listed her commissioned and warrant officers as follows:

Post	Name	Date of appointment
Captain	Frederick F. Fegen	8 June 1897
Lieutenant	Louis J. MacHutchin	8 June 1897
	(N) Tristan Dannreuther	8 June 1897
	Charles P. Mansel	8 June 1897
	George J. Todd	8 June 1897
	Walton C.G. Ruxton	8 June 1897
Lieutenant R.N.R.	William D. Irvin	8 June 1897
Lieutenant Marine	Arthur P. Grattan	8 June 1897
Staff Surgeon	Hubert W.A. Burke	8 June 1897
Paymaster	Charles B. Dawes	8 June 1897
Chief Engineer	Henry Wallis	8 June 1897
Sub-Lieutenant	Horace W. Longden	24 July 1897
Assistant Paymaster	Thomas B. Clarke	14 July 1897
Engineer	Thomas P. Jackson	8 June 1897
Assistant Engineer	Archibald W. Maconochie	8 June 1897
Gunner	(T) Edward Turner	17 May 1897
Boatswain	Frederick Llewhellin	5 December 1895
	Samuel J. Willis	8 June 1897
Carpenter	Joshua Creber	8 June 1897
Source: Navy List 1898.

The 1900 issue of Jane's Fighting Ships credits her with a crew of 309.

The Leander served in the Pacific from 1897 to 1901. A photograph of the Leander taken on 25 June 1897, shows that she still had masts and yards. "In 1900 she did good work during a revolution in Panama

Thousand Days War

The Thousand Days' War , was a civil armed conflict in the newly created Republic of Colombia, between the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party and its radical factions. In 1899 the ruling conservatives were accused of maintaining power through fraudulent elections...

 in protecting the lives and property of foreign residents."

1901–1904

In 1902 it was decided that Leander was obsolete as a cruiser and should be fitted as a "depôt ship for torpedo boat destroyers" in the Mediterranean. The Leander was reboilered as part of this refit. On 2 May 1902 the Secretary of the Admiralty, Mr Arnold-Forster, was asked in the House of Commons about the choice of boilers. The old boilers were cylindrical single-ended boilers fitted on in 1883. The replacement boilers were of the same type, made by Messrs. J. Brown & Co. of Clydebank. The Leander's refit was again controversial.

1904–1920

The Leander was commissioned as a "depot ship for torpedo boat destroyers" by Captain John M de Robeck

John de Robeck

Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Michael de Robeck, 1st Baronet GCB, GCMG, GCVO was an admiral in the British Royal Navy who commanded the Allied naval force in the Dardanelles during World War I....

 on 21 January 1904 (presumably at Chatham). She served as part of the Mediterranean Fleet

Mediterranean Fleet

Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...

. On 1 June 1904, de Robeck left the ship as a result of being censured over Leander's refit. De Robeck was put on half-pay.

In March 1904, the Mediterranean Fleet consisted of:

• Battleships: Albemarle
  HMS Albemarle (1901)
  HMS Albemarle was a pre-Dreadnought Duncan-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named after George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle.-Technical Description:...
  
  , Bulwark
  HMS Bulwark (1899)
  HMS Bulwark belonged to a sub-class of the Formidable-class of pre-dreadnought battleships of the Royal Navy known as the London-class.-Technical description:...
  
  , Duncan
  HMS Duncan (1901)
  HMS Duncan was the lead ship of the six-ship Duncan class of Royal Navy predreadnought battleships.-Technical Description:HMS Duncan was laid down by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Leamouth, on 10 July 1899, launched on 21 March 1901, and completed in October 1903.Duncan and her five...
  
  , Exmouth
  HMS Exmouth (1901)
  HMS Exmouth was a Duncan class predreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy. HMS Exmouth was laid down by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead in August 1899, launched in August 1901 and finally completed in May 1903...
  
  , Formidable
  HMS Formidable (1898)
  HMS Formidable —the third of four ships of that name to serve in the Royal Navy—was the lead ship of her class of pre-dreadnought battleships. She was the second British battleship to be sunk by enemy action during the First World War...
  
  , Illustrious
  HMS Illustrious (1896)
  The third HMS Illustrious of the British Royal Navy was a Majestic-class pre-dreadnought battleship launched in 1896. She was in front-line service during the final years of the 19th century and early 20th century...
  
  , Implacable
  HMS Implacable (1899)
  HMS Implacable was a Formidable-class battleship of the British Royal Navy, the second ship of the name.-Technical Description:HMS Implacable was laid down at Devonport Dockyard on 13 July 1898 and launched on 11 March 1899 in a very incomplete state to clear the building way for construction of...
  
  , Irresistible
  HMS Irresistible (1898)
  HMS Irresistible—the fourth British Royal Navy ship of the name—was a pre-dreadnought battleship.-Technical characteristics:HMS Irresistible was laid down at Chatham Dockyard on 11 April 1898 and launched on 15 December 1898 in a very incomplete state to clear the building ways for the...
  
  , London
  HMS London (1899)
  HMS London was a Formidable class battleship in the British Royal Navy, often considered to be part of the London class or subclass.-Technical Description:...
  
  , Montagu
  HMS Montagu (1901)
  HMS Montagu was a Pre-dreadnought battleship of the British Royal Navy.In May 1906 in thick fog, she was wrecked on Lundy Island, fortunately without loss of life....
  
  , Renown
  HMS Renown (1895)
  HMS Renown was a predreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy. Third and last of the lightly armed, long-range Centurion class, she had an upgraded design compared to her two sister ships HMS Centurion and HMS Barfleur....
  
  , Russell
  HMS Russell (1901)
  HMS Russell was a Duncan-class predreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy.-Technical Description:HMS Russell was laid down by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company at Jarrow on 11 March 1899 and launched on 19 February 1902...
  
  , Venerable
  HMS Venerable (1899)
  HMS Venerable was a London class predreadnought battleship, a sub-class of the Formidable class battleships, and the third ship of the British Royal Navy to bear the name.-Technical Description:...
  
  
• Armoured cruisers: Aboukir
  HMS Aboukir (1900)
  HMS Aboukir was a Cressy-class armoured cruiser. She was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Govan, Scotland in 1902.-First World War:...
  
  , Bacchante
  HMS Bacchante (1901)
  HMS Bacchante was a Cressy-class armoured cruiser launched in 1901 for the Royal Navy. Bacchante served for a while with the Mediterranean Fleet...
  
  
• Protected cruisers: Arrogant, Diana, Furious, Hermione
  HMS Hermione (1893)
  HMS Hermione was an Astraea-class protected cruiser launched at Devonport in 1893. She served in World War I and was sold in 1921. She was renamed HMS Warspite in 1922, and broken up in 1940....
  
  , Intrepid, Mohawk
  HMS Mohawk (1886)
  HMS Mohawk was an Archer-class torpedo cruiser of the Royal Navy, built by J. & G. Thompson at Glasgow and launched on 6 February 1886....
  
  , Naiad, Pandora
  HMS Pandora (1900)
  HMS Pandora was a of the Royal Navy. There were eleven "Third class" protected cruisers in the class, which was designed by Sir William White...
  
  , Pegasus
  HMS Pegasus (1897)
  HMS Pegasus was one of 11 Pelorus-class protected cruisers ordered for the Royal Navy in 1893 under the Spencer Program and based on the earlier Pearl-class. The class were fitted with a variety of different boilers most of which were not entirely satisfactory and by 1914 four ships had been...
  
  , Pioneer, Pyramus
  HMS Pyramus (1897)
  HMS Pyramus was a Pelorus class cruiser of the Royal Navy. There were eleven ""Third class"" protected cruisers in the class, which was designed by Sir William White...
  
  , Surprise
• Torpedo Boat Destroyers (TBD): Albatross, Ariel, Banshee
  HMS Banshee (1894)
  HMS Banshee was one of three s which served with the Royal Navy.She was launched on 17 November 1894 at the Laird, Son and Co shipyard, Birkenhead, and served most of her time in the Mediterranean. Banshee was sold off in 1912....
  
  , Bat
  HMS Bat (1896)
  HMS Bat was a , later called C-class destroyers of the Royal Navy, launched on 7 October 1896 and completed in August 1897.The ship was built by Palmers and was one of six of this type constructed by the firm. It displaced 390 tons light and its triple expansion engines developed 6,200 ihp, which...
  
  , Bruizer, Chamois, Crane
  HMS Crane (1896)
  HMS Crane was a of the three funneled "C" type. She was launched by Palmers in 1896, served during World War I and was broken up after the end of hostilities in 1919....
  
  , Cygnet, Cynthia, Desperate, Fawn, Flying Fish
  HMS Flying Fish (1897)
  HMS Flying Fish was a of the Royal Navy of the three-funnelled "C" type. She was launched by Palmers, Jarrow, on 4 March 1897, served during World War I and was broken up after the end of hostilities in 1919....
  
  , Griffon
  HMS Griffon (1896)
  HMS Griffon was a B-class torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. She was completed by Laird, Son & Company, Birkenhead, in 1896....
  
  , Kangaroo
  HMS Kangaroo (1900)
  HMS Kangaroo was a B-class torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. She was laid down by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company at Jarrow-on-Tyne on 29 December 1899, launched on 8 September 1900 and completed in July 1901. It was sold for scrap to M. Yates on 23 February 1920 but was...
  
  , Mallard, Myrmidon
  HMS Myrmidon (1900)
  HMS Myrmidon was one of two s which served with the Royal Navy. She launched by Palmers on 26 May 1900 and was used in both the Mediterranean and home waters....
  
  , Orwell
  HMS Orwell (1901)
  HMS Orwell was a B-class torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. She was built speculatively by Laird, Son & Company, Birkenhead, pre-empting further orders for vessels of this type, and was bought by the navy in 1901....
  
  , Panther
  HMS Panther (1897)
  HMS Panther was a B-class torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. She was completed by Laird, Son & Company, Birkenhead, in 1897. She was sold in 1920....
  
  , Seal
  HMS Seal (1897)
  HMS Seal was a B-class torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. She was completed by Laird, Son & Company, Birkenhead, in 1897....
  
  , Stag
  HMS Stag (1899)
  HMS Stag was a Royal Navy destroyer built by John I. Thornycroft & Company at Church Wharf, Chiswick on the River Thames and launched in 1899. She was constructed, like other Thornycroft destroyers of the period, of a new high tensile steel to save weight and was an improvement on the Ardent-class...
  
  , Thrasher
  HMS Thrasher (1895)
  HMS Thrasher was a B-class torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. She was completed by Laird, Son & Company, Birkenhead, in 1895. One of four Quail-class destroyers, she served in the Great War and was sold off after hostilities ended....
  
  
• Torpedo Gunboats (TGB): Dryad
  HMS Dryad (1893)
  HMS Dryad was the name ship of the Dryad-class torpedo gunboats. She was launched at Chatham Dockyard on 22 November 1893, the first of the class to be completed...
  
  , Harrier
  HMS Harrier (1894)
  The sixth HMS Harrier was a Dryad-class torpedo gunboat. She was launched at Devonport Dockyard on 20 February 1894, and saw service in the Mediterranean and in fishery protection...
  
  , Hussar
  HMS Hussar (1894)
  HMS Hussar was a Dryad-class torpedo gunboat of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1894 and served in the Mediterranean between 1896 and 1905 before being used for fishery protection. During the Dardanelles campaign of 1915 her commanding officer and two of her ship's company won the Victoria...
  
  , Speedy
• Torpedo Boat Carrier: Vulcan
  HMS Vulcan (1889)
  HMS Vulcan was a torpedo boat depot ship launched on 13th June 1889, converted to a training hulk. She was renamed HMS Defiance III in 1931 and used for training at Torpoint, Cornwall. She was scrapped in Belgium in 1955....
  
  
• Torpedo Boat Destroyer Depot Ship: Leander
• Depot ships: Hibernia
  HMS Achilles (1863)
  The broadside ironclad HMS Achilles was the third member of the 1861 programme, was described as an armoured frigate, and was originally projected as a modified version of the earlier ....
  
  , Tyne, Cormorant
  HMS Cormorant (1877)
  HMS Cormorant was an Osprey-class sloop launched at Chatham on 12 September 1877 and later the receiving ship at Gibraltar. She was renamed Rooke in 1946 and broken up in 1949.-Design:...
  
  
• Yacht: Imogene

The March 1904 Navy List listed her commissioned and warrant officers as follows:

Post	Name	Date of appointment
Captain	John M de Robeck	21 January 1904
Lieutenant	(T) Francis G. St. G. Brooker	21 January 1904
	(G) Arthur F.L. Atwood	21 January 1904
	(N) Henry E.F. Aylmer	21 January 1904
	Hugh S. Shipway	21 January 1904
	John P. Yule	21 January 1904
Engineer Lieutenant	John E. Moorshead	21 January 1904
Paymaster	Harry Foden	21 January 1904
Surgeon	George A. McMahon M.B. B.A.	21 January 1904
Sub-Lieutenant	Lancelot A. Smythies	29 January 1904
	Herbert E. Gore-Langton	26 January 1904
Engineer Sub-Lieutenant	Robert Walker	21 January 1904
Assistant Paymaster	Edward G. Styles	21 January 1904
Gunner	Henry T. Motram	21 January 1904
	Leopold L. Warn s(act)	21 January 1904
Boatswain	John H. Drew	21 January 1904
	Ernest E. Walke	4 February 1904
Carpenter	John A. Hoskin	- 1904
Artificer Engineer	William H. Budge (act)	21 January 1904
Clerk	Fritz J. Reger	- 1904
Source: Navy List March 1904.

The Leander had as tender to her the depot ship Tyne, and the torpedo boat destroyers: Albatross, Ariel, Banshee, Bat, Bruizer, Chamois, Crane, Cynthia, Desperate, Fawn, Flying Fish, Griffon, Kangaroo, Mallard, Myrmidon, Orwell, Panther, Seal, Stag and Thrasher.

The Leander continued in commission as a depot ship for destroyers until December 1919, and was at Scapa Flow during the First World War.

She was sold on 1 July 1920.

Logbooks in the UK National Archives

Catalogue Number	Start	End		Catalogue Number	Start	End
ADM 53/14282	29 May 1885	22 May 1886		ADM 53/46378	1 November 1915	30 November 1915
ADM 53/14283	23 May 1886	7 November 1886		ADM 53/46379	1 December 1915	31 December 1915
ADM 53/14284	8 November 1886	25 April 1887		ADM 53/46380	1 January 1916	31 January 1916
ADM 53/14285	26 April 1887	7 October 1887		ADM 53/46381	1 February 1916	29 February 1916
ADM 53/14286	8 October 1887	20 March 1888		ADM 53/46382	1 March 1916	31 March 1916
ADM 53/14287	21 March 1888	7 March 1889		ADM 53/46383	1 April 1916	30 April 1916
ADM 53/14288	8 March 1889	4 April 1889		ADM 53/46384	1 May 1916	31 May 1916
ADM 53/14289	5 April 1889	4 November 1890		ADM 53/46385	1 June 1916	30 June 1916
ADM 53/14290	5 November 1890	2 May 1892		ADM 53/46386	1 July 1916	31 July 1916
ADM 53/14291	3 May 1892	9 October 1893		ADM 53/46387	1 August 1916	31 August 1916
ADM 53/14292	10 October 1893	1 April 1895		ADM 53/46388	1 September 1916	30 September 1916
ADM 53/14293	2 April 1895	26 November 1895		ADM 53/46389	1 October 1916	31 October 1916
In reserve				ADM 53/46390	1 November 1916	30 November 1916
ADM 53/14294	8 June 1897	9 September 1898		ADM 53/46391	1 December 1916	31 December 1916
ADM 53/14295	10 September 1898	13 December 1899		ADM 53/46392	1 January 1917	31 January 1917
ADM 53/14296	14 December 1899	3 December 1900		ADM 53/46393	1 February 1917	28 February 1917
ADM 53/14297	4 December 1900	15 January 1901		ADM 53/46394	1 March 1917	31 March 1917
In reserve/refit				ADM 53/46395	1 April 1917	30 April 1917
ADM 53/22839	21 January 1904	6 January 1905		ADM 53/46396	1 May 1917	31 May 1917
ADM 53/22840	7 January 1905	18 September 1905		ADM 53/46397	1 June 1917	30 June 1917
ADM 53/22841	19 September 1905	10 September 1906		ADM 53/46398	1 July 1917	31 July 1917
ADM 53/22842	11 September 1906	31 August 1907		ADM 53/46399	1 August 1917	31 August 1917
ADM 53/22843	1 September 1907	22 August 1908		ADM 53/46400	1 September 1917	30 September 1917
ADM 53/22844	23 August 1908	14 August 1909		ADM 53/46401	1 October 1917	31 October 1917
ADM 53/22845	15 August 1909	5 August 1910		ADM 53/46402	1 November 1917	30 November 1917
ADM 53/22846	6 August 1910	26 July 1911		ADM 53/46403	1 December 1917	31 December 1917
ADM 53/22847	26 July 1911	14 July 1912		ADM 53/46404	1 January 1918	31 January 1918
ADM 53/22848	15 July 1912	6 July 1913		ADM 53/46405	1 February 1918	28 February 1918
ADM 53/22849	1 January 1913	31 December 1913		ADM 53/46406	1 March 1918	31 March 1918
ADM 53/46368	7 July 1913	28 June 1914		ADM 53/46407	1 April 1918	30 April 1918
ADM 53/46369	29 June 1914	28 February 1915		ADM 53/46408	1 May 1918	31 May 1918
ADM 53/46370	1 March 1915	31 March 1915		ADM 53/46409	1 June 1918	30 June 1918
ADM 53/46371	1 April 1915	30 April 1915		ADM 53/46410	1 July 1918	31 July 1918
ADM 53/46372	1 May 1915	31 May 1915		ADM 53/46411	1 August 1918	31 August 1918
ADM 53/46373	1 June 1915	30 June 1915		ADM 53/46412	1 September 1918	30 September 1918
ADM 53/46374	1 July 1915	31 July 1915		ADM 53/46413	1 October 1918	31 October 1918
ADM 53/46375	1 August 1915	31 August 1915		ADM 53/46414	1 November 1918	30 November 1918
ADM 53/46376	1 September 1915	30 September 1915		ADM 53/46415	1 December 1918	31 December 1918
ADM 53/46377	1 October 1915	31 October 1915		ADM 53/46416	1 January 1919	18 December 1919