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Yingrui file photo [15790]

Zhaohe-class Protected Cruiser

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This article refers to the entire Zhaohe-class; it is not about an individual vessel.

ww2dbaseIn an effort to bolster the strength of the Chinese Qing Dynasty Navy, Imperial Regent Prince Chun issued orders to construct three Zhaohe-class (romanized via the Postal Map System as Chao Ho) protected cruisers at three separate shipyards in the west: lead ship Zhaohe by Armstrong-Whitworth at Elswick in England, United Kingdom; Yingrui by Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness also in England; and Feihong by New York Shipbuilding in the United States. Although the three ships shared a very similar design, the dimensions varied slightly, with Zhaohe being the largest in size and displacement, Yingrui having slightly different foremast and smokestacks positioning, and Zhaohe having the thickest armor. By the time the two British-built ships were completed, Qing Dynasty had been overthrown by the republic, which took delivery of the ships. A combination of various reasons not limited to the financial instability of a newly formed Chinese nation led to the third ship, Feihong, being sold to Greece instead, receiving the new name Elli. The two Chinese ships, Zhaohe and Yingrui, saw action during the tumultuous decades prior to the Second Sino-Japanese War, and were both sunk by the end of 1937. Greece ship Elli saw action during the 1919-1922 Greco-Turkish War and was sunk by an Italian submarine at Tinos island, Greece in 1940 prior to the Greek entry into the European War.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.

Last Major Revision: Jul 2012

Zhaohe-class Protected Cruiser Interactive Map

Zhaohe-class Protected Cruiser Operational Timeline

7 Oct 1910 The keel of protected cruiser Zhaohe was laid down by Armstrong-Whitworth at Elswick, England, United Kingdom.
12 Dec 1910 The keel of Yingrui was laid down by Vickers Limited at Barrow-in-Furness, England, United Kingdom.
14 Jun 1911 The keel of Feihong was laid down by New York Shipbuilding in the United States.
14 Jul 1911 Yingrui was launched in Barrow-in-Furness, England, Unite Kingdom.
23 Oct 1911 Chinese cruiser Zhaohe was launched at Elswick, England, United Kingdom.
2 Dec 1911 Yingrui was completed in England, United Kingdom.
21 Feb 1912 Zhaohe completed her trials in Britain.
4 May 1913 Feihong was launched by New York Shipbuilding in the United States without a buyer.
5 Dec 1915 Some members of the crew of Yingrui mutinied in support of Yuan Shikai's faction; the mutiny was suppressed and Yingrui remained under Nationalist control.
5 Jan 1924 Zhaohe arrived at Qingdao, Shandong, Province, China.
14 Mar 1927 Yingrui arrived at Shanghai, China.
31 Dec 1928 Zhaohe was recommissioned into service.
28 Sep 1937 Zhaohe was sunk by Japanese aircraft off Guangdong Province, China.
23 Oct 1937 Yingrui was sunk by Japanese carrier aircraft from Kaga off Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province, China; 15 were killed, 40 were wounded.
15 Aug 1940 The 2,640-ton Greek cruiser-minelayer Elli was torpedoed by the Italian Squallo-slass submarine Delfino during a religious festival Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos while at anchor at Tinos Island, Greece at 0825 hours; 9 were killed, 24 were wounded. Delfino also fired a torpedo at anchored passenger ships Elsi and Esperos, but those torpedoes missed, damaging the wharf instead.




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