Town-class cruiser (1910)

	HMS Gloucester
Class overview
Name	Town class
Operators	Royal Navy; Royal Australian Navy;
Preceded by	Active class, Topaze class
Succeeded by	Hawkins class, Arethusa-class (1913)
Subclasses	Bristol; Weymouth; Chatham; Birmingham; Birkenhead;
Built	1909–1916 (RN) 1911–1922 (RAN)
In commission	1910–1931 (RN) 1920–1926 (RNZN) 1922–1949 (RAN)
Completed	21
Lost	2
Scrapped	19
General characteristics
Type	Light cruiser
Displacement	4,800–5,440 long tons (4,880–5,530 t)
Length	453–462 ft (138.1–140.8 m) (o/a)
Beam	48–50 ft (14.6–15.2 m)
Draught	14–16 ft (4.3–4.9 m)
Installed power	22,000–25,000 shp (16,000–19,000 kW); 12 × Yarrow boilers;
Propulsion	4 shafts, 2 steam turbine sets
Speed	25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range	4,140–5,830 nautical miles (7,670–10,800 km; 4,760–6,710 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	310–480
Armament	Bristol subclass :; Two BL 6-inch (152 mm) Mk XI guns (50 calibre); ten BL 4-inch (101.6 mm) Mk VII guns; four QF 3 pounder (47-mm) guns; Two 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes; Weymouth, Chatham, Birmingham subclasses :; Eight to nine BL 6- inch (Mk XI (50 calibre) guns or Mk XII (45 calibre) guns; four QF 3 pounder (47-mm) guns; Two 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes; Birkenhead subclass :; Ten BL 5.5 inch (140 mm) Mk I (50 calibre) guns; One 3 inch (76 mm) anti-aircraft gun; Two 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes;
Armour	Bristol, Weymouth subclasses :; Deck: .75–2 in (19–51 mm); Conning tower: 4 in (102 mm); Gun Shields: 4 in (102 mm); Chatham, Birmingham, Birkenhead subclasses:; Belt: 1.5–3 in (38–76 mm); Deck: 0.4–1.5 in (10–38 mm); Gun Shields: 4 in (102 mm); Conning tower: 4 in (102 mm);

The Town class was a group of twenty-one light cruisers built for the Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) of the first half of the 20th century. These vessels were long-range cruisers, suitable for patrolling the vast expanse covered by the British Empire. These ships, initially rated as second class cruisers, were built to a series of designs, known as the Bristol (five ships), Weymouth (four ships), Chatham (three RN ships, plus three RAN ships), Birmingham (three ships, plus one similar RAN ship) and Birkenhead (two ships) classes – all having the names of British towns except for the RAN ships, which were named after Australian cities.

In 1911, the system for classifying cruisers changed such that ships over 6,000 tons were simply 'cruisers'. This would have included armored cruisers and 1st class protected cruiser. The smaller protected cruisers, scout cruisers, and the new Towns were to be 'light cruisers'. Effectivley then, the Weymouths were the first Royal Navy ships built as light cruisers