Ordered under the 1889 Naval Programme, Repulse was built at Pembroke Dockyard, laid down in 1890, and commissioned in 1894. The ship cost £915,302 and measured 115.8 metres between perpendiculars, with a 22.9-metre beam and an 8.4-metre draught. At 14,380 tons, she was substantially larger than the 10,800-ton Admiral class. Eight boilers supplied two triple-expansion engines and two shafts for 11,000 indicated horsepower and a top speed of 17.5 knots. A 4,720-nautical-mile economical range at 10 knots and a complement of 670 show the endurance and manpower behind that fighting platform.
Chapter · 18:45-20:55
Repulse’s building programme, machinery, and range
Repulse’s construction dates, dimensions, engines, speed, and endurance reveal the practical scale of a first-class British battleship in the 1890s.