Three (C36, C37 and C38) had been sent to Hong Kong in 1911 and during the war the remainder were mainly used for coastal defence, based at the east coast ports of Leith, Harwich, Hartlepool, Grimsby and Dover, some operating with Q ships which were decoying U‐boats.
Last month, hurricane Harvey devastated much of coastal Texas and killed more than 70 people.
The Costa Smeralda cruise ship is now docked at Civitavecchia port, a coastal town northwest of Rome.