The 1882 Leander and the Evolutionary Squadron

The 1882 Leander was a second-class, partially protected cruiser built for distant service. Her mixed battery, machine guns, and embarked second-class torpedo boats made her one of the Royal Navy's new-technology platforms. Geoffrey Hornby's Evolutionary Squadron concentrated such ships with experienced officers to test tactics, record lessons, and spread practical knowledge through the fleet. Leander then served on the China Station before becoming a torpedo-boat-destroyer depot ship in 1902 and continuing in that role through the First World War. Her transition from modern cruiser to depot ship within twenty years illustrates the rapid pace of naval change before the dreadnought era.