Challenger-class cruiser

	HMS Challenger
Class overview
Name	Challenger
Operators	Royal Navy; Royal Australian Navy;
Preceded by	Highflyer class
Succeeded by	Topaze class
Built	1900–1905
In commission	1904–1929
Completed	2
Scrapped	2
General characteristics (as built)
Type	Protected cruiser
Displacement	5,880 long tons (5,970 t)
Length	355 ft (108.2 m) (p/p)
Beam	56 ft (17.1 m)
Draught	21 ft 3 in (6.5 m)
Installed power	12,500 ihp (9,300 kW); 18 water-tube boilers;
Propulsion	2 shafts, 2 Triple-expansion steam engines
Speed	21 knots (38.9 km/h; 24.2 mph)
Complement	490
Armament	11 × BL 6-inch (152 mm) guns; 9 × QF 12-pounder 12 cwt (3-inch) guns; 6 × QF 3-pounder (47 mm) guns; 2 × 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes;
Armour	Deck: 1.5–3 in (38.1–76.2 mm); Gun shields: 3 in (76 mm); Conning tower: 6 in (152 mm);

The Challenger-class cruisers were a pair of second-class protected cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. One ship, HMS Encounter, was later transferred to the Royal Australian Navy.

Class overview
HMS Challenger
Name	Challenger
Operators	Royal Navy Royal Australian Navy
Preceded by	Highflyer class
Succeeded by	Topaze class
Built	1900–1905
In commission	1904–1929
Completed	2
Scrapped	2
General characteristics (as built)
Type	Protected cruiser
Displacement	5,880 long tons (5,970 t)
Length	355 ft (108.2 m) (p/p)
Beam	56 ft (17.1 m)
Draught	21 ft 3 in (6.5 m)
Installed power	12,500 ihp (9,300 kW) 18 water-tube boilers
Propulsion	2 shafts, 2 Triple-expansion steam engines
Speed	21 knots (38.9 km/h; 24.2 mph)
Complement	490
Armament	11 × BL 6-inch (152 mm) guns 9 × QF 12-pounder 12 cwt (3-inch) guns 6 × QF 3-pounder (47 mm) guns 2 × 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour	Deck: 1.5–3 in (38.1–76.2 mm) Gun shields: 3 in (76 mm) Conning tower: 6 in (152 mm)