SMS Ariadne (1900)

Ariadne was pledged under contract D, the hull was laid at the AG Weser shipyard in Bremen in 1899. Launched on August 10, 1900, after which work began on the completion of the ship. May 18, 1901 the cruiser became part of the Hochseeflotte ( High Seas Fleet ) ^[1] . It was 105.1 m long, 12.2 m wide, had a draft of 4.93 m and a total displacement of 3.017 tons ^[2] . The propulsion system consisted of two three-cylinder steam engines designed to develop a capacity of 8 thousand horsepower (6 MW), the ship developed a speed of 21.5 knots (39.8 km / h). Steam for the machine was generated in nine coal-fired water tube boilers of the naval type. The cruiser could carry 560 tons of coal, which provided a cruising range of 3560 nautical miles (6590 km) on the move 10 knots (19 km / h). The cruiser’s crew consisted of 14 officers and 243 sailors ^[1] .

The armament of the cruiser was ten 105 mm SK L / 40 quick-firing guns on single supports. Two guns were placed side by side on the bow, six along the sides, three on each side and two side by side in the stern. The total ammunition left 1,000 shots, 100 shells per gun. The guns had an impact range of 12,200 m. The ship is also armed with two 450 mm torpedo tubes with five torpedoes. The devices were installed in the hull along the sides under water ^[3] . The ship was protected by an armored deck with a thickness of 20 to 25 mm. The thickness of the cutting walls was 80 mm, the guns were protected with thin shields of 50 mm thickness ^[4] .

After commissioning, "Ariadne" was assigned to the intelligence forces of the Hochseeflotte ^[3] . In 1905, the Ariadne, the Medusa and Amazon cruiser sisterships, and the Prince Henry armored cruiser were assigned to the cruisers division ^[5] . All the time of peacetime service she spent in German waters. After the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, the Ariadne was recalled from the fleet and began patrolling in the Helgoland Bay ^[3] .

On August 23, several commanders proposed to the British command a plan of attack on a line of patrols involving light cruisers and destroyers from the Harwich Force under the command of Reginald Tiritt. Support for the ships of the squadron was to be provided by submarines, battle cruisers of Vice Admiral David Beatty and light forces given to him. The plan was approved, the attack was scheduled for August 28 ^[6] . British forces began to leave the port on August 26, first the submarines left. The next morning, most of the surface ships set sail. The 7th Cruiser Squadron, which received orders to support the Harwich Squadron, left later in the day ^[7] .

On the morning of August 28, a shift came for Ariadne, she left the patrol line and anchored at the mouth of the Weser River, being ready to support patrol cruisers and destroyers ^[8] . Having received news of the British attack, the Ariadne and other cruisers raised their pairs and rushed to help the German patrols. At 13.40, the Ariadne met the cruiser Stettin , but less than 20 minutes later the battle cruisers of Admiral Beatty approached the cruiser Cologne and opened fire on the Ariadne. The Ariadne turned right and fled. She received several hits from the British, one of the shells landed in the bow boiler room. A fire broke out in a coal pit and five boilers were disabled, the cruiser speed dropped to 15 knots (28 km / h). Two battlecruisers came closer and continued firing from a distance of 3 km (the best shooting distance on a flat path for guns of this caliber). The Ariadne fired back, but without success ^[9] .

A fire swept the bow and stern of the ship. The cruiser team flooded the nasal shell cellar, so that the fire did not reach the explosives. At 14.15 the British ceased fire and allowed the Ariadne to leave. The surviving sailors gathered on the tank and prepared to leave the ship. Soon (until 15.00), the Danzig cruiser approached and began to take the survivors aboard. After some time, the Stralsund cruiser joined the rescue operations. At 16.25, the Ariadne turned over, although for some time it remained afloat ^[10] . Nine officers were saved (including the captain). Rescue operations were complicated by explosions of ammunition stacked on the Ariadne deck, which prevented the boats from approaching the cruiser ^[11] .

Comments

• {{{title}}} (unchanged) // The Fortnightly Review / Courtney, WL. - London: Chapman and Hall, Ltd., 1905. - T. LXXVII .
• Gröner, Erich. German Warships: 1815–1945. - Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1990. - ISBN 0-87021-790-9 .
• Halpern, Paul G. A Naval History of World War I. - Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1995 .-- ISBN 1-55750-352-4 .
• Staff, Gary. Battle on the Seven Seas. - Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Maritime, 2011 .-- ISBN 978-1-84884-182-6 .