Zhiyuan circa 1894
Class overview
Name	Zhiyuan class
Builders	Armstrong Whitworth, Elswick, England
Operators	Qing dynasty, Beiyang Fleet
In service	29 September 1886 - 9 February 1895
Planned	2
Completed	2
Lost	2
General characteristics
Type	Protected cruiser
Displacement	2,300 long tons (2,300 t)
Length	268 ft (82 m)
Beam	38 ft (12 m)
Draft	15 ft (4.6 m)
Propulsion	Compound-expansion steam engine, two screws 4 x boilers
Speed	18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Capacity	510 tons of coal
Complement	204–260 officers and men
Armament	3 × 8 in (20 cm) Krupp guns 2 × 6-inch (15 cm) Armstrong guns 8 × QF 6-pounder Hotchkiss guns 2 x QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss guns 8 x 1-pounder guns 6 x gatling guns 4 × above water torpedo tubes
Armour	Deck armour: 4 in (10 cm) (flat), 3 in (7.6 cm) (slope) Gun shields: 2 in (5.1 cm)

The Zhiyuan class (Chinese: 致远级; pinyin: Zhiyuanji; Wade–Giles: Chih-yuan-chi) were two protected cruisers built during the late stages of the Qing dynasty, in the build order of Zhiyuan and later Jingyuan. They were built as part of Li Hongzhang's effort to modernize the Imperial Chinese Fleet in the late 19th century.^[1]

Both cruisers took part in the Battle of Yalu River during the First Sino-Japanese War, with Zhiyuan being sunk in battle and Jingyuan damaged. Jingyuan was later sunk during the Battle of Weihaiwei in January 1895.

References