Blonde-class cruiser

HMS Blonde at anchor
Class overview
Name	Blonde class
Builders	Pembroke Dockyard
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	Boadicea class
Succeeded by	Active class
Built	1909–1911
In commission	1910–1921
Completed	2
Scrapped	2
General characteristics (as built)
Type	Scout cruiser
Displacement	3,350 long tons (3,400 t)
Length	406 ft (123.7 m) (o/a)
Beam	41 ft 6 in (12.6 m)
Draught	15 ft 6 in (4.7 m)
Installed power	18,000 shp (13,000 kW) 12 × Yarrow boilers
Propulsion	4 × shafts 2 × Parsons steam turbine sets
Speed	24.5 knots (45.4 km/h; 28.2 mph)
Range	4,100 nmi (7,600 km; 4,700 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	314
Armament	10 × single BL 4 in (102 mm) guns 4 × single QF 3-pounder 1.9 in (47 mm) guns 2 × single 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour	Deck: 0.5–1 in (13–25 mm) Conning tower: 4 in (102 mm)

The Blonde-class cruisers were a pair of scout cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Upon completion in 1910–11, they served as flotilla leaders for destroyer flotillas of the First Fleet until 1913 when they were assigned to battleship squadrons. When the First World War began in August 1914, they remained with their squadrons as the First Fleet was incorporated into the Grand Fleet, although they changed squadrons over the course of the war. Blonde did not participate in the Battle of Jutland in mid-1916, unlike her sister ship, Blanche, which did, but never fired a shot. They were converted into minelayers the following year, but only Blanche actually laid mines. The sisters were reduced to reserve in 1919 and sold for scrap in 1920–1921.