USS Boston (1884)

USS Boston in 1891
History
United States
Name	Boston
Namesake	Boston, Massachusetts
Ordered	23 July 1883
Builder	Delaware River Iron Ship Building and Engine Works, Chester, Pennsylvania
Laid down	15 November 1883
Launched	4 December 1884
Commissioned	2 May 1887
Decommissioned	4 November 1893
Recommissioned	15 November 1895
Decommissioned	15 September 1899
Recommissioned	11 August 1902
Decommissioned	10 June 1907
Recommissioned	18 June 1918
Fate	Scuttled 7 April 1946
Notes	On loan to Oregon Naval Militia 15 June 1911 – September 1916 On loan to United States Shipping Board 24 May 1917 – June 1918
General characteristics
Type	Protected cruiser
Displacement	3,189 long tons (3,240 t)
Length	283 ft (86.3 m)
Beam	42 ft (12.8 m)
Draft	17 ft (5.2 m)
Installed power	8 × boilers 1 × horizontal compound engine 3,500 ihp (2,600 kW)
Propulsion	Sails (as built) 1 × shaft
Speed	16.3 kn (18.8 mph; 30.2 km/h) on trials, 13 kn (15 mph; 24 km/h) designed
Range	3,390 nmi (6,280 km; 3,900 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	284 officers and men
Armament	2 × 8-inch (203 mm)/30 caliber Mark 1 guns 6 × 6-inch (152 mm)/30 caliber Mark 2 guns 2 × 6-pounder (57 mm (2.24 in)) guns 2 × 3-pounder (47 mm (1.85 in)) Hotchkiss revolving cannon 2 × 1-pounder (37 mm (1.46 in)) Hotchkiss revolving cannon 2 × .45 caliber (11.4 mm) Gatling guns
Armor	Barbettes: 2 in (51 mm) Deck: 1.5 in (38 mm) Conning tower: 2 in (51 mm)
Notes	One of the U.S. Navy's first four steel ships

The fifth USS Boston was a protected cruiser and one of the first steel warships of the "New Navy" of the 1880s. In some references she is combined with Atlanta as the Atlanta class, in others as the Boston class.

Boston was laid down on 15 November 1883 by Delaware River Iron Ship Building and Engine Works, Chester, Pennsylvania, launched on 4 December 1884, and commissioned on 2 May 1887 at the New York Navy Yard, Captain Francis M. Ramsay in command.^[1]