HMS Alexandra was a British Royal Navy battleship that served as the lead ship of her class. Launched in 1875, she was named after Alexandra of Denmark, the wife of Edward VII. The ship had a displacement of over 9,800 tons and was armed with a main battery of four 16.25-inch guns. Alexandra was the first British battleship to be powered solely by steam engines, rather than a combination of steam and sail power. She also featured an armored belt and citadel for protection. The ship was involved in various naval operations and exercises during her service, including the bombardment of Alexandria in 1882 during the Anglo-Egyptian War. Alexandra underwent several refits and modifications throughout her career to keep her up to date with naval technology. She was eventually placed in reserve in 1903 and used as a depot ship before being sold for scrap in 1908. HMS Alexandra's design and construction represented a significant advancement in naval technology at the time, showcasing the transition from sail to steam power in battleships. Her service history reflects the changing role of battleships in naval warfare during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

This description has been generated using GPT-3.5-TURBO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.