HMS Proserpine (1896)

HMS Proserpine 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.

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 Proserpine was laid down at Sheerness Dockyard on March 1896 and launched on 5 December 1896.

She served at the North America and West Indies Station under Commander G. C. A. Marescaux, and returned to pay off at Chatham in early November 1901. Shortly after returning home, she was involved in a collision while she was anchored off Sheerness harbour. The Royal Zeeland Steamship Company mailboat Koningen Regentes struck the bow of the Proserpine, leaving slight damage to both vessels. She was subsequently taken to Chatham Dockyard for repairs, and paid off at the naval base there 28 November 1901.

She was sold for scrap on 30 November 1919.