Published Resources Details Journal Article
- Title
- The Thornycroft torpedo vessels; their construction armament & c, and the results of certain experiments that have been made with them
- In
- The Engineer
- Imprint
- vol. 43, 18 May 1877, pp. 337-338
- Description
Accession No.29
- Abstract
A review of the developments in torpedo warfare that led to the construction of the Royal Navy's first torpedo boat the Lightning. The experience gained in torpedo warfare during the American Civil War indicated that the ideal torpedo boat should have a speed greater than 11 knots, silent smoke-free engines, and be highly manoeuvrable. The majority of these requirements had been achieved relatively easily; but the problem of speed remained unsolved until 1871 when J I Thornycroft built the Miranda a steam launch under 50 feet in lengt6h that was capable of achieving speeds in excess of 16 knots. Thornycroft's first torpedo boat (length 57 feet, beam 7 feet 6 inches, draught 3 feet; trial speed 14 knots) was built for the Norwegian Government. Improved versions of this vessel were built for the Swedish and Danish Governments in which the air-pump, feed-pump and circulating pumps were driven off the main engines, trial speeds in excess of 15 .5 knots were achieved. The next size of torpedo boat (length 67 feet, beam 8 feet 6 inches, draught 4 feet 3 inches) was that supplied to the Austrian and French Governments. The guaranteed speed in the case of the Austrian boat was 15 knots and in the case of the French boat 18 knots. These boats were built of plating somewhat thicker than that used for the 57-foot type and were divided into six watertight compartments. The engines were capable of developing 200 indicated horsepower using a closed stokehole forced draught system. The third size of torpedo boat (length 76 feet, beam 10 feet) were those supplied to the Dutch and Italian Governments, these had a guaranteed speed of 18 knots and were powered by engines of 250 indicated horsepower. The Dutch boat was armed with spar torpedoes whilst the Italian boat was armed with Whitehead torpedoes. The Lightning (length 84 feet overall, beam 10 feet 10 inches, draught 5 feet) had a guaranteed speed of 18 knots and was powered by engines of 350 indicated horsepower. The hull of the Lightning was of thicker plate than the other boats built by Thornycroft's at the time and the lines were fuller as she was intended for use in tolerably rough weather; cabin accommodation was also larger than that of other boats. The Lightning was later armed with Whitehead torpedoes launched from a single tube placed on the forward deck. Six (length 87 feet, beam 10 feet 6 inches) torpedo boats with a guaranteed speed of 18 knots were also built for the French Government. Topics also covered include: torpedo warfare during the American Civil War and the Gitana (length 91 feet, beam13 feet 6 inches; trial speed 21 knots) built for the Baroness Rothschild for use on Lake Geneva.