1900 in Color - HMS Powerful Arriving Portsmouth Harbour (Boer War)

HMS Powerful was a 'Powerful-class of protected cruiser' launched on 24th July 1895 by the Duchess of Devonshire. The ship fought during the Second Boer War during the Siege of Ladysmith, and served with her sister ship, HMS Terrible, on the China Station. During the war, Captain Hedworth Lambton commanded HMS Powerful, with Captain Percy Scott commanding HMS Terrible.

The ship was dubbed the biggest cruiser in the world by the Eastern Daily Press and had the following Captains during her lifetime:
Captain The Hon. Hedworth Lambton, 8 June, 1897 – 8 June, 1900
Captain James Startin, 21 July, 1903 – 3 September, 1903
Captain Frederick St. G. Rich, 3 January, 1905 – 26 August, 1905
Captain Lionel Halsey, 26 August, 1905 – 1 January, 1908
Captain Cecil I. Prowse, 1 January, 1908 – 31 December, 1910
Captain Edward F. Bruen, 31 December, 1910 – 1912
Captain Charles D. Johnson, early 1912 – 16 March, 1912
Captain Herbert J. Savill, 1 July, 1913 – 14 May, 1915
Captain Cecil H. Fox, 16 May, 1915 – 4 July, 1917
Acting Captain Frederic W. Dean, 4 July, 1917

HMNB Portsmouth was built in 1194 and is one of the Royal Navy's three naval bases. It covers 300 acres and until the 1970s was known as 'Portsmouth Royal Dockyard'. The base homes a large majority of the Royal Navy's surface fleet and employs over 15,000 personnel.