Yorktown class gunboat
Encyclopedia
The Yorktown-class was a class
of three steel-hulled, twin-screw gunboats built for the United States Navy beginning in 1887. All three ships of the class were named after cities near American Revolutionary War
battles.
The ships were just over 244 feet (74.4 m) long and 36 feet (11 m) abeam
and displaced a little more than 1700 long tons (1,727.3 MT). They were equipped with two steam engine
s which were supplemented with three schooner-rigged masts. The main battery
of each ship consisted of six 6 inches (15.2 cm) guns and was augmented by an assortment of smaller caliber guns.
Ships of the class were in commission between 1889 and 1919. For most of their service, the ships were in the Pacific, patrolling the coasts of North and South America, Hawaii
, and the western Pacific. Yorktown-class ships saw service in many of the conflicts involving the United States from the 1890s through World War I
, with all three ships seeing action during the Philippine–American War. was involved in the 1891 Baltimore Crisis
in Chile
, participated in the China Relief Expedition
carried out in the wake of the Boxer Rebellion
, and served as a convoy escort in World War I. was a part of Admiral George Dewey
's fleet at the Battle of Manila Bay
during the Spanish–American War.
Yorktown had the longest career in commission, being decommissioned for the final time in 1919; Concord left active service ten years before that, and Bennington was taken out of service after a boiler explosion
in July 1905 at San Diego, California
.
design attempt to produce compact ships with good seakeeping abilities and, yet, able to carry a heavy battery
. Contemporary news reports indicate the class was loosely based on , the first ship of the Royal Navy
's s. was authorized in the 1886 fiscal year and and were authorized in the 1888 fiscal year. The construction contract for Yorktown was awarded to the William Cramp and Sons
shipyard of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
and her keel was laid down in May 1887. The contract for the other pair was awarded to N. F. Palmer & Co., who sublet the construction of the hulls to the Delaware River Iron Shipbuilding & Engine Works, also of Philadelphia. Concord and Bennington were laid down in May and June 1888, respectively. The hulls of the Yorktown class were designed by the Navy's Bureau of Construction and Repair
while the mechanical layout was designed by the Cramp yard for Yorktown and replicated in her sister ship
s.
. The steel hulls had an average draft of 14 feet (4 m), which was expected to give them the ability to escape from larger ships into shallow water. At the waterline was a turtleback deck of 3/8-inch (9.5 mm) steel that formed a watertight seal over the lower spaces. This deck had a crown at the level of the waterline and curved downwards to 3 foot (0.9144 m) below the waterline at the sides of the ship. Below this armored deck were twelve compartments separated by watertight bulkhead
s; the spaces above were equipped with watertight doors intended to be closed during battle.
Above the armored deck, each ship had forecastle
and poop
decks with an open gun deck
that spanned the length of the ship between them. The conning tower
was located forward on the forecastle deck and was oval-shaped to deflect shot. It was outfitted with a steam-powered steering wheel, a telegraph
, and speaking tubes; it was protected by 2 inches (50.8 mm) of steel armor plate.
The engines, situated in separate watertight compartments, were each fed by a pair of coal-fired boilers. Each boiler was horizontally mounted and was 9 in 6 in (2.9 m) in diameter and 17 in 6 in (5.33 m) in length with a total grate area of 220 square inches (1,419.4 cm²). The coal bunkers of each ship could carry up to 400 long tons (406.4 t) of the fuel, and were shielded from "shot and shell". At a near top-speed of 16 knots, the ships could cover 2800 nautical miles (5,185.6 km) in 6½ days; at the more economical speed of 8 knots they could cruise 12000 nautical miles (22,224 km) over 62 days.
To supplement the steam power plant, the ships were built with three masts that were schooner-rigged. They had a total sail area of 6300 square feet (585.3 m²). The steam and sail combination was expected to allow the Yorktown-class ships to remain at sea for months at a time during wartime.
of the Yorktown-class consisted of six 6 inches (15.2 cm)/30 guns,The 30 denotes the length of the gun barrels; in this case, the gun is 30 calibers, meaning that the gun is 30 times long as its bore. with each gun weighing in excess of 11000 lbs. Two were mounted on the forecastle deck, two on the poop deck, and the other pair amidships on the gun deck. The two guns on the gun deck were mounted 10 feet (3 m) above the waterline, while the other four were 18 feet (5.5 m) above. The guns fired 105 lbs armor-piercing
projectile
s with a propellant
charge weighing 18.8 lbs at 1950 feet per second (594.4 m/s). At an elevation
of 30.2°, the guns had a range of 18000 yards. Each gun was shielded with steel plating 3 inches (76.2 mm) thick.
The secondary battery for Yorktown and Concord consisted of two 6 pdr guns
[with a caliber of 57 mm (2.24 in)], two 3 pdr guns
[47 mm (1.85 in)], and two 1 pdr guns
[37 millimetres (1.46 in)]; Bennington was armed with four 6-pounders and four 1-pounders. All were based on designs of the French arms company Hotchkiss
. According to a 1902 Bureau of Ordnance
publication, an armor-piercing round fired from a 6-pounder gun could penetrate 2 inches (50.8 mm) of armor at a distance of 1000 yards.
until 1914, and as a quarantine ship for the Public Health Service
in Astoria, Oregon
, until 1929. Bennington had the shortest Navy career: she suffered a boiler explosion
in July 1905 at San Diego, California
, that killed over 60 crewmen. Her hulk was used as a water barge at Honolulu
for the Matson Line from 1912 to 1924, when she was scuttled
off Oahu
.
of Philadelphia in May 1887 and launched in April 1888. After her April 1889 commissioning, Yorktown joined the Squadron of Evolution
of "New Navy" steel-hulled ships. Detached from that squadron, Yorktown, under the command of Robley D. Evans, sailed to Valparaíso
, Chile
, during the 1891 Baltimore Crisis
and relieved at that port. After that situation was resolved, Yorktown took part in the joint British–American sealing patrol in Alaska
n waters and served as a station ship before returning to the United States in 1898. Yorktown was out of commission during the Spanish–American War, but took part in actions in the Philippine–American War and the Boxer Rebellion
in 1899 and 1900, respectively, after she had been recommissioned.
After three years out of commission from 1903 to 1906, Yorktown hosted Secretary of the Navy Victor H. Metcalf
on board when he greeted the Great White Fleet
on its arrival in San Francisco
in May 1907. Over the next five years, most of Yorktowns time was spent in sealing patrols in Alaska and duty in Latin American ports. From July 1912, Yorktown was out of commission for alterations, but resumed duties off the Mexican
, Nicaragua
n, and Honduran
coasts beginning in April 1913. Through World War I
, Yorktown continued in the same role, until she departed for the East Coast of the United States
in April 1918. She served an escort for one convoy headed to Halifax
in August, and remained in coastal escort duties in the east until January 1919. After arrival at San Diego
in February, she was decommissioned for the final time in June 1919; she was sold in 1921 to an Oakland
firm and broken up
that same year.
The contract to build Concord was awarded to N. F. Palmer & Co. of Chester, Pennsylvania
, in the 1888 fiscal year. Her hull was subcontracted to the Delaware River Iron Shipbuilding & Engine Works, which laid down her keel in March 1888. Concord was launched in March 1890. After her 1891 commissioning, Concord spent the next few years sailing along the East Coast of the United States
, in the West Indies, and in the Gulf of Mexico
. In 1893, Concord cruised on the Asiatic Station and also sailed on the sealing patrol, keeping check on fur seal
hunters in Alaska. After another stint in the Far East in 1894, Concord spent a year out of commission at San Francisco
from May 1896 to May 1897. After spending most of the rest of 1897 in Alaskan waters, Concord returned to the Asiatic Station in January 1898. She joined Admiral George Dewey
's fleet for the 1 May 1898 Battle of Manila Bay
, a decisive American victory over the Spanish Fleet in the Spanish–American War. After the battle, Concord supported United States Army
operations in the Philippines
in the Philippine–American War.
From 1901 to 1909, Concord alternated between Alaskan patrols, cruising the Mexican
coast, and periodic trips to China, serving for a time on the Yangtze Patrol
. In November 1909, Concord was decommissioned at the Puget Sound Navy Yard. For the next five years, she served as a barracks ship for the Washington Naval Militia
. In 1914, the former Concord was transferred to the Public Health Service
and served as a quarantine ship at Astoria, Oregon
until 1929. After a brief return to Navy custody, the ship was sold in June 1929.
protecting American interests there. On her way to support U.S. Army operations of the Philippine–American War, Bennington claimed Wake Island
for the United States. After two years in the Philippines, she returned to the United States and was taken out of commission for 18 months for repairs and refitting. After her March 1903 re-commissioning, most of the next two years were spent patrolling the Pacific coasts of North and South America.
On 21 July 1905 at San Diego, California
, Bennington suffered a boiler explosion
that killed 66 men and injured nearly everyone else on board. Shortly after the explosion, a tug
beached the ship to prevent her from sinking. Eleven men were awarded the Medal of Honor
for "extraordinary heroism" in the aftermath of the explosion. After Bennington was refloated, the damage was deemed too extensive to repair and the ship was decommissioned in September. The ship was sold for scrapping
in 1910, but instead served as a water barge for the Matson Line at Honolulu
from 1912. The former Bennington was scuttled
off the coast of Oahu
in 1924.
Ship class
A ship class is a group of ships of a similar design. This is distinct from a ship-type, which might reflect a similarity of tonnage or intended use. For example, the is a nuclear aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class....
of three steel-hulled, twin-screw gunboats built for the United States Navy beginning in 1887. All three ships of the class were named after cities near American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
battles.
The ships were just over 244 feet (74.4 m) long and 36 feet (11 m) abeam
Beam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
and displaced a little more than 1700 long tons (1,727.3 MT). They were equipped with two steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
s which were supplemented with three schooner-rigged masts. The main battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
of each ship consisted of six 6 inches (15.2 cm) guns and was augmented by an assortment of smaller caliber guns.
Ships of the class were in commission between 1889 and 1919. For most of their service, the ships were in the Pacific, patrolling the coasts of North and South America, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, and the western Pacific. Yorktown-class ships saw service in many of the conflicts involving the United States from the 1890s through World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, with all three ships seeing action during the Philippine–American War. was involved in the 1891 Baltimore Crisis
Baltimore Crisis
The Baltimore Crisis was a diplomatic incident that took place between Chile and the United States, during the Chilean Civil War, as result of the growing American influence in Pacific Coast region of Latin America in the 1890s. It remains a nodal event because it marked a dramatic shift in United...
in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, participated in the China Relief Expedition
China Relief Expedition
The China Relief Expedition was the name of an expedition in China undertaken by the United States Armed Forces to the rescue of United States citizens, European nationals, and other foreign nationals during the latter years of the Boxer Rebellion, which lasted from between 1898 and 1901...
carried out in the wake of the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
, and served as a convoy escort in World War I. was a part of Admiral George Dewey
George Dewey
George Dewey was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War...
's fleet at the Battle of Manila Bay
Battle of Manila Bay (1898)
The Battle of Manila Bay took place on 1 May 1898, during the Spanish-American War. The American Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey engaged and destroyed the Spanish Pacific Squadron under Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasarón...
during the Spanish–American War.
Yorktown had the longest career in commission, being decommissioned for the final time in 1919; Concord left active service ten years before that, and Bennington was taken out of service after a boiler explosion
Boiler explosion
A boiler explosion is a catastrophic failure of a boiler. As seen today, boiler explosions are of two kinds. One kind is over-pressure in the pressure parts of the steam and water sides. The second kind is explosion in the furnace. Boiler explosions of pressure parts are particularly associated...
in July 1905 at San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
.
Design and construction
The Yorktown-class gunboats — unofficially considered third-class cruisers — were the product of a United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
design attempt to produce compact ships with good seakeeping abilities and, yet, able to carry a heavy battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
. Contemporary news reports indicate the class was loosely based on , the first 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 s. was authorized in the 1886 fiscal year and and were authorized in the 1888 fiscal year. The construction contract for Yorktown was awarded to the William Cramp and Sons
William Cramp and Sons
thumb | upright | 1899 advertisement for William Cramp & Sons William Cramp & Sons Shipbuilding Company of Philadelphia was founded in 1825 by William Cramp, and was the preeminent U.S. iron shipbuilder in the 19th century. The American Ship & Commerce Corporation bought the yard in 1919 but closed...
shipyard of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
and her keel was laid down in May 1887. The contract for the other pair was awarded to N. F. Palmer & Co., who sublet the construction of the hulls to the Delaware River Iron Shipbuilding & Engine Works, also of Philadelphia. Concord and Bennington were laid down in May and June 1888, respectively. The hulls of the Yorktown class were designed by the Navy's Bureau of Construction and Repair
Bureau of Construction and Repair
The Bureau of Construction and Repair was the part of the United States Navy which from 1862 to 1940 was responsible for supervising the design, construction, conversion, procurement, maintenance, and repair of ships and other craft for the Navy...
while the mechanical layout was designed by the Cramp yard for Yorktown and replicated in her sister ship
Sister ship
A sister ship is a ship of the same class as, or of virtually identical design to, another ship. Such vessels share a near-identical hull and superstructure layout, similar displacement, and roughly comparable features and equipment...
s.
Layout
The Yorktown-class ships were 244 in 5 in (74.5 m) in length and 36 feet (11 m) abeamBeam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
. The steel hulls had an average draft of 14 feet (4 m), which was expected to give them the ability to escape from larger ships into shallow water. At the waterline was a turtleback deck of 3/8-inch (9.5 mm) steel that formed a watertight seal over the lower spaces. This deck had a crown at the level of the waterline and curved downwards to 3 foot (0.9144 m) below the waterline at the sides of the ship. Below this armored deck were twelve compartments separated by watertight bulkhead
Bulkhead (partition)
A bulkhead is an upright wall within the hull of a ship or within the fuselage of an airplane. Other kinds of partition elements within a ship are decks and deckheads.-Etymology:...
s; the spaces above were equipped with watertight doors intended to be closed during battle.
Above the armored deck, each ship had forecastle
Forecastle
Forecastle refers to the upper deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast, or the forward part of a ship with the sailors' living quarters...
and poop
Poop deck
In naval architecture, a poop deck is a deck that forms the roof of a cabin built in the rear, or "aft", part of the superstructure of a ship.The name originates from the French word for stern, la poupe, from Latin puppis...
decks with an open gun deck
Gun deck
The term gun deck originally referred to a deck aboard a ship that was primarily used for the mounting of cannon to be fired in broadsides. However, on many smaller vessels such as frigates and unrated vessels the upper deck, forecastle and quarterdeck bore all of the cannons but were not referred...
that spanned the length of the ship between them. The conning tower
Conning tower
A conning tower is a raised platform on a ship or submarine, often armored, from which an officer can con the vessel; i.e., give directions to the helmsman. It is usually located as high on the ship as practical, to give the conning team good visibility....
was located forward on the forecastle deck and was oval-shaped to deflect shot. It was outfitted with a steam-powered steering wheel, a telegraph
Engine order telegraph
An engine order telegraph or E.O.T., often also chadburn, is a communications device used on a ship for the pilot on the bridge to order engineers in the engine room to power the vessel at a certain desired speed...
, and speaking tubes; it was protected by 2 inches (50.8 mm) of steel armor plate.
Propulsion
The Yorktown-class ships were powered by two triple-expansion steam engines which each drove one of the pair of 10.5 feet (3.2 m), three-bladed screw propellers. The cylinders of each engine were 22, 31, and 51 inches (56, 79, and 130 cm) in diameter and had a 30 inches (76.2 cm) stroke. Each engine was rated at 3400 ihp and as a pair were designed to move the ships at 16 knots, though all three exceeded that speed in trials; Bennington reached a top speed of 17.5 knots.The engines, situated in separate watertight compartments, were each fed by a pair of coal-fired boilers. Each boiler was horizontally mounted and was 9 in 6 in (2.9 m) in diameter and 17 in 6 in (5.33 m) in length with a total grate area of 220 square inches (1,419.4 cm²). The coal bunkers of each ship could carry up to 400 long tons (406.4 t) of the fuel, and were shielded from "shot and shell". At a near top-speed of 16 knots, the ships could cover 2800 nautical miles (5,185.6 km) in 6½ days; at the more economical speed of 8 knots they could cruise 12000 nautical miles (22,224 km) over 62 days.
To supplement the steam power plant, the ships were built with three masts that were schooner-rigged. They had a total sail area of 6300 square feet (585.3 m²). The steam and sail combination was expected to allow the Yorktown-class ships to remain at sea for months at a time during wartime.
Armament
The main batteryArtillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
of the Yorktown-class consisted of six 6 inches (15.2 cm)/30 guns,The 30 denotes the length of the gun barrels; in this case, the gun is 30 calibers, meaning that the gun is 30 times long as its bore. with each gun weighing in excess of 11000 lbs. Two were mounted on the forecastle deck, two on the poop deck, and the other pair amidships on the gun deck. The two guns on the gun deck were mounted 10 feet (3 m) above the waterline, while the other four were 18 feet (5.5 m) above. The guns fired 105 lbs armor-piercing
Armor-piercing shot and shell
An armor-piercing shell is a type of ammunition designed to penetrate armor. From the 1860s to 1950s, a major application of armor-piercing projectiles was to defeat the thick armor carried on many warships. From the 1920s onwards, armor-piercing weapons were required for anti-tank missions...
projectile
Projectile
A projectile is any object projected into space by the exertion of a force. Although a thrown baseball is technically a projectile too, the term more commonly refers to a weapon....
s with a propellant
Propellant
A propellant is a material that produces pressurized gas that:* can be directed through a nozzle, thereby producing thrust ;...
charge weighing 18.8 lbs at 1950 feet per second (594.4 m/s). At an elevation
Elevation (ballistics)
In ballistics, the elevation is the angle between the horizontal plane and the direction of the barrel of a gun, mortar or heavy artillery. Originally, elevation was a linear measure of how high the gunners had to physically lift the muzzle of a gun up from the gun carriage to hit targets at a...
of 30.2°, the guns had a range of 18000 yards. Each gun was shielded with steel plating 3 inches (76.2 mm) thick.
The secondary battery for Yorktown and Concord consisted of two 6 pdr guns
QF 6 pounder Hotchkiss
The QF 6 pounder Hotchkiss was a light 57 mm naval gun and coast defence gun of the late 19th century used by many countries, and was adapted for use in the early British tanks in World War I.- Canada History :...
[with a caliber of 57 mm (2.24 in)], two 3 pdr guns
QF 3 pounder Hotchkiss
The QF 3 pounder Hotchkiss was a light 47-mm naval gun introduced in 1886 to defend against new small fast vessels such as torpedo boats, and later submarines...
[47 mm (1.85 in)], and two 1 pdr guns
QF 1 pounder pom-pom
The QF 1 pounder, universally known as the pom-pom, was an early 37 mm British autocannon. It was used by several countries initially as an infantry gun and later as a light anti-aircraft gun. The name comes from the sound it makes when firing....
[37 millimetres (1.46 in)]; Bennington was armed with four 6-pounders and four 1-pounders. All were based on designs of the French arms company Hotchkiss
Hotchkiss et Cie
Société Anonyme des Anciens Etablissements Hotchkiss et Cie was a French arms and car company established by United States engineer Benjamin B. Hotchkiss, who was born in Watertown, Connecticut. He moved to France and set up a factory, first at Viviez near Rodez in 1867, then at Saint-Denis near...
. According to a 1902 Bureau of Ordnance
Bureau of Ordnance
The Bureau of Ordnance was the U.S. Navy's organization responsible for the procurement, storage, and deployment of all naval ordnance, between the years 1862 and 1959.-History:...
publication, an armor-piercing round fired from a 6-pounder gun could penetrate 2 inches (50.8 mm) of armor at a distance of 1000 yards.
Class members
Of the three class members, Yorktown had the longest U.S. Navy career, spanning from her 1889 commissioning to her final decommissioning in 1919. Concord remained afloat the longest: she was decommissioned in 1910, but served as a training ship for the Washington Naval MilitiaWashington National Guard
The Washington National Guard is headquartered at Camp Murray, Washington and is defined by its state and federal mission. At the call of the Governor, the Washington National Guard will mobilize and deploy during times of state emergency to augment local jurisdictions and responders in their...
until 1914, and as a quarantine ship for the Public Health Service
United States Public Health Service
The Public Health Service Act of 1944 structured the United States Public Health Service as the primary division of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare , which later became the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The PHS comprises all Agency Divisions of Health and...
in Astoria, Oregon
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
, until 1929. Bennington had the shortest Navy career: she suffered a boiler explosion
Boiler explosion
A boiler explosion is a catastrophic failure of a boiler. As seen today, boiler explosions are of two kinds. One kind is over-pressure in the pressure parts of the steam and water sides. The second kind is explosion in the furnace. Boiler explosions of pressure parts are particularly associated...
in July 1905 at San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, that killed over 60 crewmen. Her hulk was used as a water barge at Honolulu
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
for the Matson Line from 1912 to 1924, when she was scuttled
Scuttling
Scuttling is the act of deliberately sinking a ship by allowing water to flow into the hull.This can be achieved in several ways—valves or hatches can be opened to the sea, or holes may be ripped into the hull with brute force or with explosives...
off Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
.
Yorktown Yorktown was laid down by William Cramp and Sons
William Cramp and Sons
thumb | upright | 1899 advertisement for William Cramp & Sons William Cramp & Sons Shipbuilding Company of Philadelphia was founded in 1825 by William Cramp, and was the preeminent U.S. iron shipbuilder in the 19th century. The American Ship & Commerce Corporation bought the yard in 1919 but closed...
of Philadelphia in May 1887 and launched in April 1888. After her April 1889 commissioning, Yorktown joined the Squadron of Evolution
Squadron of Evolution
The Squadron of Evolution " —sometimes referred to as the "White Squadron"— was a transitional unit in the United States Navy, during the late 19th century. Composed of the cruisers , , , USS Yorktown, and dispatch boat . Having both full rigged masts and steam engines, it was influential in the...
of "New Navy" steel-hulled ships. Detached from that squadron, Yorktown, under the command of Robley D. Evans, sailed to Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, during the 1891 Baltimore Crisis
Baltimore Crisis
The Baltimore Crisis was a diplomatic incident that took place between Chile and the United States, during the Chilean Civil War, as result of the growing American influence in Pacific Coast region of Latin America in the 1890s. It remains a nodal event because it marked a dramatic shift in United...
and relieved at that port. After that situation was resolved, Yorktown took part in the joint British–American sealing patrol in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
n waters and served as a station ship before returning to the United States in 1898. Yorktown was out of commission during the Spanish–American War, but took part in actions in the Philippine–American War and the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
in 1899 and 1900, respectively, after she had been recommissioned.
After three years out of commission from 1903 to 1906, Yorktown hosted Secretary of the Navy Victor H. Metcalf
Victor H. Metcalf
Victor Howard Metcalf was an American politician; he served in President Theodore Roosevelt's cabinet an Secretary of Commerce and Labor, and then as Secretary of the Navy.-Biography:...
on board when he greeted the Great White Fleet
Great White Fleet
The Great White Fleet was the popular nickname for the United States Navy battle fleet that completed a circumnavigation of the globe from 16 December 1907 to 22 February 1909 by order of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. It consisted of 16 battleships divided into two squadrons, along with...
on its arrival in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
in May 1907. Over the next five years, most of Yorktowns time was spent in sealing patrols in Alaska and duty in Latin American ports. From July 1912, Yorktown was out of commission for alterations, but resumed duties off the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
n, and Honduran
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
coasts beginning in April 1913. Through World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Yorktown continued in the same role, until she departed for the East Coast of the United States
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
in April 1918. She served an escort for one convoy headed to Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
in August, and remained in coastal escort duties in the east until January 1919. After arrival at San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
in February, she was decommissioned for the final time in June 1919; she was sold in 1921 to an Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
firm and broken up
Ship breaking
Ship breaking or ship demolition is a type of ship disposal involving the breaking up of ships for scrap recycling. Most ships have a lifespan of a few decades before there is so much wear that refitting and repair becomes uneconomical. Ship breaking allows materials from the ship, especially...
that same year.
Concord
The contract to build Concord was awarded to N. F. Palmer & Co. of Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
, in the 1888 fiscal year. Her hull was subcontracted to the Delaware River Iron Shipbuilding & Engine Works, which laid down her keel in March 1888. Concord was launched in March 1890. After her 1891 commissioning, Concord spent the next few years sailing along the East Coast of the United States
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
, in the West Indies, and in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. In 1893, Concord cruised on the Asiatic Station and also sailed on the sealing patrol, keeping check on fur seal
Fur seal
Fur seals are any of nine species of pinnipeds in the Otariidae family. One species, the northern fur seal inhabits the North Pacific, while seven species in the Arctocephalus genus are found primarily in the Southern hemisphere...
hunters in Alaska. After another stint in the Far East in 1894, Concord spent a year out of commission at San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
from May 1896 to May 1897. After spending most of the rest of 1897 in Alaskan waters, Concord returned to the Asiatic Station in January 1898. She joined Admiral George Dewey
George Dewey
George Dewey was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War...
's fleet for the 1 May 1898 Battle of Manila Bay
Battle of Manila Bay (1898)
The Battle of Manila Bay took place on 1 May 1898, during the Spanish-American War. The American Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey engaged and destroyed the Spanish Pacific Squadron under Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasarón...
, a decisive American victory over the Spanish Fleet in the Spanish–American War. After the battle, Concord supported United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
operations in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
in the Philippine–American War.
From 1901 to 1909, Concord alternated between Alaskan patrols, cruising the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
coast, and periodic trips to China, serving for a time on the Yangtze Patrol
Yangtze Patrol
The Yangtze Patrol, from 1854 to 1945, was a prolonged naval operation to protect American interests in the Yangtze River's treaty ports. Initially the patrol was carried out by ships of the United States Navy's East India and Asiatic Squadrons. In 1922, the "YangPat" was established as a formal...
. In November 1909, Concord was decommissioned at the Puget Sound Navy Yard. For the next five years, she served as a barracks ship for the Washington Naval Militia
Washington National Guard
The Washington National Guard is headquartered at Camp Murray, Washington and is defined by its state and federal mission. At the call of the Governor, the Washington National Guard will mobilize and deploy during times of state emergency to augment local jurisdictions and responders in their...
. In 1914, the former Concord was transferred to the Public Health Service
United States Public Health Service
The Public Health Service Act of 1944 structured the United States Public Health Service as the primary division of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare , which later became the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The PHS comprises all Agency Divisions of Health and...
and served as a quarantine ship at Astoria, Oregon
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
until 1929. After a brief return to Navy custody, the ship was sold in June 1929.
Bennington
Bennington was awarded to N. F. Palmer & Co. of Chester, Pennsylvania in November 1887, but her hull was subcontracted to the Delaware River Iron Shipbuilding & Engine Works which laid down her keel in June 1888. Bennington was launched in June 1890. After her June 1891 commissioning at New York, Bennington joined the Squadron of Evolution for its cruise to South America. The gunboat made two Mediterranean tours between 1892 and 1894, after which she was assigned to duties in the Pacific. She sailed the Pacific coasts of North and Central America and spent time in the Hawaiian IslandsHawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
protecting American interests there. On her way to support U.S. Army operations of the Philippine–American War, Bennington claimed Wake Island
Wake Island
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu west to Guam east. It is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior...
for the United States. After two years in the Philippines, she returned to the United States and was taken out of commission for 18 months for repairs and refitting. After her March 1903 re-commissioning, most of the next two years were spent patrolling the Pacific coasts of North and South America.
On 21 July 1905 at San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, Bennington suffered a boiler explosion
Boiler explosion
A boiler explosion is a catastrophic failure of a boiler. As seen today, boiler explosions are of two kinds. One kind is over-pressure in the pressure parts of the steam and water sides. The second kind is explosion in the furnace. Boiler explosions of pressure parts are particularly associated...
that killed 66 men and injured nearly everyone else on board. Shortly after the explosion, a tug
Tug
Tuğ is a village in the Khojavend Rayon of Azerbaijan....
beached the ship to prevent her from sinking. Eleven men were awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for "extraordinary heroism" in the aftermath of the explosion. After Bennington was refloated, the damage was deemed too extensive to repair and the ship was decommissioned in September. The ship was sold for scrapping
Ship breaking
Ship breaking or ship demolition is a type of ship disposal involving the breaking up of ships for scrap recycling. Most ships have a lifespan of a few decades before there is so much wear that refitting and repair becomes uneconomical. Ship breaking allows materials from the ship, especially...
in 1910, but instead served as a water barge for the Matson Line at Honolulu
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
from 1912. The former Bennington was scuttled
Scuttling
Scuttling is the act of deliberately sinking a ship by allowing water to flow into the hull.This can be achieved in several ways—valves or hatches can be opened to the sea, or holes may be ripped into the hull with brute force or with explosives...
off the coast of Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
in 1924.