HMS Pandora (1900)

HMS Pandora 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. While well armed for their size, they were primarily workhorses for the overseas fleet on "police" duties and did not serve with the main battlefleet.

Construction details
They displaced 2,135 tons, had a crew complement of 224 men and were armed with eight QF 4 inch (102 mm) (25 pounder) guns, eight 3 pounder guns, three machine guns, and two 18 inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes. With reciprocating triple expansion engines and a variety of boilers, the top speed was 20 kn.

Service history
HMS Pandora was laid down at Portsmouth Dockyard on 3 January 1898, and launched on 17 January 1900, when she was christened by Mrs. (Mary Elizabeth) Napier, daughter of Admiral Sir Michael Culme-Seymour, Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth (and herself wife of a Royal Navy officer who later became Vice-Admiral Sir Trevylyan Napier).

She was commissioned for the 1901 naval maneuvers, then carried out a series of propeller trials at Portsmouth under Commander Somerset Gough-Calthorpe, and was paid off 13. September 1901.

On 7 November 1901 she was commissioned by Commander J. F. Murray-Aynsley to relieve the Melita on the Mediterranean Station. She arrived at Malta the following month (7 December).

Pandora was sold for scrap on July 1913.