NMS Elisabeta
| Company type | Protected cruiser |
|---|---|
| Industry | Naval shipbuilding |
| Founded | 1887 |
| Founder | Armstrong Whitworth |
| Defunct | 1926 (scrapped) |
| Headquarters | Elswick (construction) , United Kingdom |
| Products | Warship (protected cruiser) |
Template:Infobox ship class overviewNMS Elisabeta was a modest-sized protected cruiser constructed for the Romanian Naval Forces in the late 19th century by the British firm Armstrong Whitworth, given Romania's lack of domestic shipbuilding capacity. Primarily utilized as a training ship, she represented Romanian naval presence at the inauguration of the Kiel Canal in 1895. During the First Balkan War (1912–1913), she safeguarded Romanian interests in Constantinople, though she had limited involvement in the subsequent Second Balkan War. Throughout World War I, her armament was partially reduced. After the conflict, she served as a barracks ship until being dismantled in 1926.
Description
Constructed from steel, Elisabeta measured approximately 240 feet (73.2 m) in overall length. Her beam was 33 feet 6 inches (10.2 m), and her draft varied from 11 feet 6 inches (3.5 m) at the bow to 12 feet 6 inches (3.8 m) at the stern. At full load, she displaced around 1,330 long tons (1,351 t). The vessel was manned by a complement of 140 officers and sailors.
Propulsion was provided by a pair of vertical triple-expansion steam engines, each connected to a single 9-foot-8-inch (2.95 m) screw propeller. Steam was generated by four cylindrical Scotch marine boilers. The engines were designed to produce 3000 indicated horsepower under normal draft conditions, enabling a speed of 16.5 knots, or up to 4500 indicated horsepower with forced draft for a maximum speed of 17.5 knots. During sea trials on 14 September 1888, Elisabeta achieved a peak velocity of 18.3 knots powered by 4714 indicated horsepower using forced draft, while averaging 18.06 knots at 4271 indicated horsepower under normal draft, despite her primary artillery not yet being installed. The ship featured three barque-rigged masts and could carry up to 322 long tons of coal.
The main battery consisted of four single 15 cm/35 caliber Krupp breech-loading guns mounted on pivoting semi-circular sponsons along the ship’s sides. Additionally, she was armed with four single quick-firing Nordenfelt guns of 57 mm caliber, positioned two each at the bow and stern. Four quick-firing Hotchkiss guns of 37 mm caliber were also part of her armament. For torpedo warfare, she was equipped with four above-water torpedo tubes measuring 356 mm each—one at the bow, one at the stern, and one on each broadside. Protection was provided by a curved armored deck with a thickness of 1.5 inches on the flat sections, increasing to 3.5 inches on the sloped areas and tapering to 1 inch at the ship’s extremities. A transverse bulkhead with 4 inches of armor was installed in the bow, and the conning tower featured 3 inches of armor plating.
Construction and career
The order for Elisabeta was placed in May 1887 with Armstrong Whitworth. Romanian specifications required a displacement near 1300 tons, armament comprising four main guns of six-inch caliber along with four torpedo tubes, a maximum speed of 18 knots, and an armored deck up to 3.5 inches thick on its slopes. The design was created by naval architect Philip Watts. Construction commenced at Armstrong’s Elswick shipyard on 17 May under yard number 517. The vessel was launched on 29 December and completed her final sea trials by 19 September 1888. She departed for Romania in late October and arrived roughly three weeks later. Upon arrival, her armament was installed at the Galaţi shipyard since Romanian authorities preferred Krupp weaponry over Armstrong guns.
In the summers of 1889 and 1890, Elisabeta undertook multiple training cruises throughout the Black Sea region. Early in 1891, she embarked on a five-month Mediterranean voyage. The cruiser represented Romania during the Columbus celebrations held in Livorno, Barcelona, and Lisbon in 1892. Following this, she completed a brief Black Sea cruise in 1894 before undertaking another extended Mediterranean deployment. In 1895, Elisabeta sailed to Kiel to take part in the opening ceremonies of the Kiel Canal and then proceeded to Stockholm for an inspection by the Swedish monarch. In 1898, she conducted Romania’s inaugural coastal survey and later underwent significant modernization at Galaţi between 1904 and 1905, which included reducing her sailing rig to two pole masts. During July 1905, when the mutinous Russian battleship Potemkin arrived at Constanța, Elisabeta was present but did not actively engage in the incident; however, she fired two warning shots—first a blank round followed by an explosive charge—at the torpedo boat Ismail as it attempted entry into the Romanian port, successfully deterring it.
In 1907, her original armament was replaced with four French Saint-Chamond guns of 120 mm caliber and four additional guns measuring 75 mm; concurrently, all previously installed 37 mm guns were removed.
During the First Balkan War, Elisabeta was stationed in Istanbul where she deployed a contingent of 130 Romanian marines: fifteen each at both the Romanian Legation and Consulate and one hundred securing an assigned sector outside the city limits. Romanian sailors aboard played roles in extinguishing a major fire and attended the funeral of Mahmud Shevket Pasha (Sefket Pasha). The cruiser and her deployed personnel departed Istanbul on July 15, 1913.
Throughout the Second Balkan War, Elisabeta remained stationed at Sulina tasked with defending the Danube River's mouths. At the outbreak of World War I, her main battery was removed ashore to establish coastal artillery positions guarding against potential Austro-Hungarian river monitor attacks on the Danube. With her four primary guns relocated for land defense purposes, she continued service at Sulina under Captain Nicolae Kirițescu’s command throughout the conflict to bolster anti-aircraft defenses within the port area. Her four secondary guns were adapted for anti-aircraft use; meanwhile, she retained her four torpedo tubes (356 mm) plus four machine guns onboard. In spring 1917, Romanian anti-aircraft units stationed at Sulina successfully shot down a German Friedrichshafen FF.33 seaplane; although damaged upon landing on water, its pilot was captured.
Following decommissioning in 1920, Elisabeta served as a barracks ship first at Galaţi and later at Sulina before being sold for scrapping in 1926. Records indicate she remained in use as accommodation facilities as late as 1929; thus dismantling likely occurred during the early-to-mid-1930s.
Notes
Bibliography
- Bascomb, Neal (2007). Red Mutiny: Eleven Fateful Days on the Battleship Potemkin. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 978-0-618-59206-7.
- Brook, Peter (1999). Warships for Export: Armstrong Warships 1867–1927. Gravesend, Kent, UK: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-89-4.
- Gardiner, Robert, ed. (1979). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. New York: Mayflower Books. ISBN 0-8317-0302-4.
- Georgescu, Mihai (1984). "Elisabeta". Warship International. Vol. XXI, no. 2. Toledo, OH: International Naval Research Organization. pp. 158–167. ISSN 0043-0374.
- Greger, Rene (1984). "Elisabeta and her Armament". Warship International. Vol. XXI, no. 2. Toledo, OH: International Naval Research Organization. pp. 189–190. ISSN 0043-0374.