|
SMS ''Leopard'' was a torpedo cruiser (''Torpedoschiff'')〔Sieche, Erwin. ''Torpedoschiffe und Zerstörer der K. u. K. Marine. Wölfersheim-Berstadt: Podzun-Pallas-Verlag, 1996, Marine-Arsenal: Band 34. ISBN 3-7909-0546-1. P.7〕 of the Austro-Hungarian Navy.〔Greger, R. p.27〕 She and her sister ship, , were part of a program to build up Austria-Hungary's fleet of torpedo craft in the 1880s. ==Design== The Austro-Hungarian Navy Commander (''Marinekommandant''), Vice Admiral Maximilian Daublebsky von Sterneck, outlined in a memorandum of 8 September 1884 the requirements for a torpedo ram cruiser. Such a vessel should have a reinforced bow for ramming as well as torpedoes for attacks on larger warships. The cruisers would also be small and fast enough to undertake patrol and reconnaissance duties. They were originally classified as "torpedo ships" (''Torpedoschiff'') - equivalent of a torpedo cruiser in other navies. In 1903 they were reclassified as 3rd Class Cruisers, then in 1909 as small cruisers (''Kleine Kreuzer'').〔 When funds for two vessels were approved by the Austro-Hungarian Reichsrat, bids were solicited from British builders. The order went to the firm of W.G. Armstrong of Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, and its chief designer, William White (afterwards the British Director of Naval Construction from 1885 to 1902). As designed by White, ''Leopard'' was a steel-hulled vessel of 1,557 tons displacement. She measured in length with a beam of and a draft (as completed) of . Propulsion was supplied by two compound steam engines with four cylindrical boilers, giving a maximum speed of . The crew numbered 186 officers and men. Original armament of ''Leopard'' comprised two 12 cm Krupp guns, four 4.7 cm quick-firing guns, six 4.7 cm revolver cannon and four torpedo tubes. The torpedo tubes were located singly, in the bow, stern, and at either beam. ''Leopard'' was built with as pronounced a ram bow as the larger Austro-Hungarian warships of the time. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「SMS Leopard」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|