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monitor comparison table                contemporary coastal ships                breastwork monitors slideshow

Surviving Contemporary Monitors

To our knowledge the only surviving monitors above the waves are Leitha, Sölve and Cerberus. The original ship named "Monitor" has also been located and parts are being brought to the surface. Because of damage caused by corrosion, depth charging and an anchor in 1973, it is unlikely that the hull will be raised.

Unfortunately both Leitha and Sölve have lost their single turret and guns. Cerberus still has both of her turrets and all four guns.


Above Left to right -
Swedish monitor Sölve, USS Monitor and HMVS Cerberus.
Photo of paper models courtesy of David Hathaway
USS Monitor (USA 1862)
Currently at a depth of 70 metres in the Atlantic Ocean where the hull will most likely remain.
as illustrated in Harper's Weekly, 22 March 1862
information

Sölve (Sweden 1875)
(left) Single non-rotating turret mounted on upper deck.
Currently an empty hull & under restoration. (right)

Source: The Gothemburg Maritime Centre.

S.M.S. Lajta (pronounced Lighta) aka Leitha
(Budapest - Hungary 1871)
(left) single turret river monitor
Lajta was also an empty hull until recently.
(Shown at right in 2011)
technical details
Source: The Pre Dreadnought Preservation website.


Monitor Comparison Table

Click any column heading once to sort in ascending order. Click again to sort in descending order. (ie5+ & ns6+)
ShipCountryExistingLaunched   yr   mthCompleted   yr   mthDisplacement (tons)Speed (kts)Length (m)Gun Size inchesGuns No.Freeboard
(inches)
 
Abyssinia*UKNo1870   021870   102900968.610436"
Cerberus**UKYes1868   121869   05334410¹68.610436"
Cyclops**UKNo1871   071877   0534801168.610436"
Devastation**UKNo1871   071873   0493301393.612454"
Dreadnought*UKNo1875   031879   02108861497.512.54 
Gorgon**UKNo1871   101874   0334801168.6104
Glatton*UKNo1871   031872   0249101274.712236"
Hecate**UKNo1871   091877   0534801168.610436"
Hydra**UKNo1871   121876   0534801168.610436"
Lajta/LeithaAustria/HungaryYes1871   05 3158.15062?
Magdala**UKNo1870   031870   1133441068.610436"
MonadnockUSANo1883   091895   00399011.6380.85104?
MonitorUSAYes1862   011862   02987639.811214"
SölveSwedenYes1875   001875   05460839.89.51?
Thunderer**UKNo1872   031877   0093301393.612454"

* Breastwork Monitor. * Cerberus class. * Cyclops class. * Devastation class
¹ a speed of 12.4 knots was achieved in 1900


Contemporary Turret Ships

The ships below are described as Turret Ships as they do not have the monitor deck (very low deck) that differentiates a monitor from other ships.

"Huascar"
(originally Peruvian but now in Chile since its capture in 1879)
(built 1865) Turret Ship
"Schorpioen"
(Netherlands)
(1868) Masted Turret Ship

"Buffel"
(Netherlands)
(1870) Turret Ram Ship

Table Sorting program courtesy of Han Yu