Built as a light cruiser under yard no 735 by Armstrong Whitworth at Elswick for the Royal Navy.
07 Jan. 1903, laid down.
05 Nov. 1903, launched under the name HMS "AMETHYST".
Displacement 3.000 ts, dim. 113.8 x 12.13 x 4.4m., on waterline 109.8m.
Powered by Parsons turbines, manufactured by Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Co., 9.800 shp., three screws, speed 21.75 knots. 10 Yarrow boilers.
During trials 23.63 knots.
Bunker capacity 300 ts normal, 700 ts maximum, coal-fired.
Armament: 12 - 4 inch QF. (Quick Firing), 8 - 3 pdrs. QF, 2 - 18 inch torpedo tubes.
Crew 296. Building cost about £ 240.000.
17 March 1905, final trials.
She was one of the Topaze class of which 4 were built, as a scout and light cruiser.
They were weakly armoured, and got a limited endurance, and the class could only work together with destroyer flotillas.
The "AMETHYST" was also the first warship in the world larger than a destroyer with a Parson turbine.
1905 - 1907 A unit of the Atlantic Battle Squadron.
1907 - 1909 Stationed at Portsmouth with a nucleus crew.
1909 - 1911 Served at the South East coast of America and West coast of Africa.
Jan 1912 until 1914 a unit of the 8 th Destroyer Flotilla of the Home Fleet
.After outbreak of World War I in the 3 rd Destroyer Flotilla and flying Commodore Tyrwhitt's broad pennant.
1915 Took part in the Dardanelle's operations.
1916 On patrol in the South Atlantic in search for German raiders, she remained there until 1919.
01 October 1920, sold for scrapping to Towers at Milford Haven.
St Kitts 2001 $1.40 sg?, scott?
Uruguay 1919/20 5m-1p sg349/58, scott225/34
Liberia 2015 $30 sg?, scott?
Source: Warships for Export, Armstrong Warships 1867-1927 by Peter Brook. Jane Fighting Ships 1914.