HMS Vesuvius (1874)
History | |
---|---|
United Kingdom | |
Name | HMS Vesuvius |
Builder | Pembroke Dockyard |
Laid down | 16 March 1873 |
Launched | 24 March 1874 |
Completed | 11 September 1874 |
Fate | Sold for scrap 1923 |
General characteristics | |
Displacement | 245 long tons (249 t) |
Length | 90 ft 0 in (27.43 m) pp |
Beam | 22 ft 0 in (6.71 m) |
Draught | 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) |
Installed power | 350 ihp (260 kW) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 9.7 kn (11.2 mph; 18.0 km/h) |
Complement | 15 |
Armament | 1 × 16 inch torpedo tube |
HMS Vesuvius was an experimental torpedo-armed warship of the British Royal Navy. Built by Pembroke Dockyard in 1873–1874, she was the first purpose-designed torpedo vessel built for the Royal Navy. Vesuvius was intended for night attacks against enemy harbours, and was armed with a single tube for Whitehead torpedoes in her bow. She was used for experimental and training purposes, and was not disposed of until 1923.
Design
From 1864, the English engineer
On 12 February 1872, the Admiralty placed an order for its first ship purpose designed for torpedo attack, HMS Vesuvius. The new warship was intended for night attacks against enemy harbours, with the likely opponent being France.[6][7]
Vesuvius was 90 feet 0 inches (27.43 m)
The ship was fitted with a single submerged
Vesuvius was laid down at Pembroke Dockyard on 16 March 1873 and launched on 24 March 1874. She was towed to Portsmouth Dockyard for fitting out, and a tall funnel was added to aid raising of steam. She was completed on 11 September 1874 at a cost of £17,897.[9][11]
Service
The boat appeared at the Naval Review at Spithead of August 1878. The Queen recorded in her Journal that she was impressed by the 2 torpedo boats, Vesuvius & Lightning, which rushed about at the rate of 20 Knots an hour.[12]
Vesuvius was not seriously evaluated against her design role of night torpedo attacks and was too slow and had too short a range to accompany the fleet. She was relegated to experimental and training roles, attached to HMS Vernon, the Royal Navy's torpedo training school.
Vesuvius remained attached to HMS Vernon at Portsmouth during the
Notes
- ^ As opposed to spar torpedoes, which were mounted on the end of a long boom attached to the bows of an attacking ship.[1]
Citations
- ^ Gardiner & Lambert 1992, pp. 135–136
- ^ Gardiner & Lambert 1992, pp. 136–137
- ^ Brown 2003, pp. 81–82
- ^ Chesneau & Kolesnik 1979, p. 86
- ^ Clowes 1903, pp. 58–59
- ^ Brown 2003, pp. 82–83
- ^ Gardiner & Lambert 1992, p. 138
- ^ Friedman 2009, p. 286
- ^ a b c d e f Chesneau & Kolesnik 1979, p. 88
- ^ a b Brown 2003, p. 83
- ^ Brassey 1895, p. 217
- ^ "The Naval Review at Spithead, 13 August 1878". RCIN. HMG. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ Friedman 2009, p. 21
- ^ Brown 2003, pp. 102–103
- ^ Dittmar & Colledge 1972, p. 324
- ^ Colledge & Warlow 2006, p. 372
References
- Brassey, T. A., ed. (1895). The Naval Annual 1895. Portsmouth, UK: J Griffin and Co.
- Brown, D. K. (2003). Warrior to Dreadnought: Warship Development 1860–1905. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 1-84067-5292.
- Clowes, William Laird (1903). The Royal Navy: A History from the Earliest Years to the Death of Queen Victoria: Volume VII. London: Sampson Low, Marston and Company.
- Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006). ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 9781861762818.
- Chesneau, Roger; Kolesnik, Eugene M., eds. (1979). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-133-5.
- Dittmar, F. J.; Colledge, J. J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0380-7.
- Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the Second World War. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-049-9.
- Gardiner, Robert; Lambert, Andrew, eds. (1992). Steam, Steel & Shellfire: The Steam Warship 1815–1905. Conway's History of the Ship. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-564-0.