Minotaur-class cruiser (1906)
The Minotaur class was a three-ship class of armoured cruisers built in the first decade of the twentieth century for the Royal Navy. These were the last class of armoured cruisers built for the Royal Navy, with that role being substantially replaced by the first battlecruisers. These initially served with the Home Fleet, generally as the flagships of cruiser squadrons. Minotaur became flagship of the China Station in 1910 and Defence served as flagship of the 1st Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean from 1912; Shannon remained at home as flagship of several different squadrons.
Minotaur at anchor, shortly after she was completed
Right elevation and deck plan as depicted in Brassey's Naval Annual 1912. The shaded areas represent her armour.
Shannon's 7.5-inch guns and turrets under construction. Note the 12-pounder guns and their mounts on the turret roofs.
Stern view of Shannon, November 1915
The armored cruiser was a type of warship of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was designed like other types of cruisers to operate as a long-range, independent warship, capable of defeating any ship apart from a battleship and fast enough to outrun any battleship it encountered.
The Russian armored cruiser Rurik is an example of an armored cruiser.
Russian armored cruiser General-Admiral.
French armored cruiser Dupuy de Lôme
HMS Orlando
