HMS Emerald Light cruiser Country: UK Type: Light cruiser Service: 1926 - 1945 Laid down: 23 September 1918 Launched: 19 May 1920 Commissioned: 14 January 1926 Decommissioned: 9 June 1948 Fate: Scrapped 23 June 1948

The Emerald or E class was a class of two light cruisers built for the Royal Navy. Following the Cavendish Class, three ships of a new class were ordered in March 1918, towards the end of World War I, designed to emphasise high speed at the cost of other qualities, for use against rumoured new high speed German cruisers, and particularly minelayers, in the North Sea. The third ship was cancelled in November 1918.

HMS Emerald was the lead ship of the Emerald class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Armstrong (Newcastle-on-Tyne, UK), with the keel being laid down on 23 September 1918. She was launched on 19 May 1920, and commissioned 14 January 1926. She was in active service for part of the interwar period and held in reserve at others. During World War II, HMS Emerald engaged in naval operations until being placed in reserve in 1945. In 1947, she was allocated for target trials. As a result of these trials the ship foundered in Kames Bay, Rothesay, on 24 October, and was not refloated until 9 June 1948. She was scrapped at Arnott Young (Troon, Scotland) where she arrived on 5 July 1948.