Admiral - class battleship The British Royal Navy ' s pre - dreadnought Admiral class battleships of the 1880s followed the pattern of the " Devastation " class in having the main armament on centre - line mounts with the superstructure in between . This pattern was followed by most following British designs until in 1906 . They were known as the Admiral - class because they were all named after British admiral s , such as Admiral George Anson . Service history . " Collingwood " . " Collingwood " was commissioned at Portsmouth on 1 July 1887 for Queen Victoria ' s Golden Jubilee Military Review , and was paid off into Reserve in August . She was posted to the Mediterranean , where she served from November 1889 – March 1897 . She was coastguard ship at Bantry from March 1897 – June 1903 , when she paid off into the reserve , where she remained until sold . " Rodney " . " Rodney " was commissioned on June 20 , 1888 into the Home Fleet . She was held in reserve until July 1889 , and after taking part in manoevres until September she served with the Channel Fleet until May 1894 . She was then posted to the Mediterranean , remaining there until 1897 . Thereafter she was coastguard ship at Queensferry until February 1901 . She remained in reserve until being sold in 1909 . " Howe " . " Howe " was delivered at Portsmouth on 15 November 1885 , complete except for her main armament . She was commissioned in July 1889 to take part in fleet manoevres . Finally fully armed , she was posted to the Channel Fleet in May 1890 , and then to the Mediterranean . On 2 November 1892 , she grounded on Ferrol Rock , and was salvaged with great difficulty , being finally freed on 30 March 1893 . She paid off at Chatham for repairs and overhaul , and then served in the Mediterranean until 1896 , when she became port guard ship at Queenstown . In 1901 , she was relegated to the reserve , where she remained until sold in 1910 . " Camperdown " . " Camperdown " was commissioned at Portsmouth on 18 July 1889 , and initially went into reserve . In December 1889 she was posted to the Mediterranean Fleet as flagship , where she remained until being posted as flagship of the Channel Fleet in May 1890 . She was paid off in May 1892 into Fleet reserve , recommissioning in July 1892 into the Mediterranean Fleet . On 22 June 1893 , she collided with and sank the battleship with 358 deaths , including Vice - Admiral Sir George Tryon ( See for details ) . In September 1899 , she went into Category B reserve , and in May 1900 into Dockyard reserve . In July 1900 she commissioned as a coast guard ship at Lough Swilly until May 1903 . She was in reserve at Chatham until 1908 , and was employed at Harwich as a berthing ship for submarines until she was sold in 1911 . " Anson " . " Anson " arrived at Portsmouth from the builder ' s yard in Pembroke in March 1887 , and lay at anchor for two years , slowly completing for sea while waiting for her guns to be manufactured . She finally commissioned on 28 May 1889 as flagship of the Rear - Admiral , Channel Fleet . On 17 March 1891 passenger steamer SS " Utopia " accidentally collided with stationary " Anson " in the Bay of Gibraltar . 562 of " Utopia " s passengers and crew and two rescuers from HMS " Immortalité " were killed in the accident . " Anson " did not report any injuries or damage . In September 1893 , " Anson " was transferred to the Mediterranean , where she served until January 1900 , with a refit at Malta in 1896 . She returned home and paid off at Devonport in January 1901 , re - commissioning for the newly formed Home Fleet in March of the same year . In May 1904 , " Anson " finally paid off into reserve , where she remained until sold on 13 July 1909 . " Benbow " . " Benbow " was commissioned on 14 June 1888 for the Mediterranean Fleet , with which she served until October 1891 . She was then held in the Reserve until March 1894 , with two short commissions to take part in manoevres . Until April 1904 she served as guardship at Greenock , and thereafter remained in the Reserve until sold in 1909 .