The Pelorus built at the Sheerness Dockyard was the first of a new type of protected fast cruiser (length 300 feet, beam 36 feet 6 inches; displacement 2,135 tons) designed by Sir W H White and fitted with two independent sets of twin screw inverted-vertical triple-expansion marine engines developing 7,000 indicated horsepower, operating on steam supplied by eight Normand water-tube boilers; armament, eight 4 -inch quick-firing guns, eight 3-pounders, 3 Maxim guns and two torpedo tubes. And, the first of six new torpedo boat destroyers to be built by Messrs. Thornycroft and Company the Desperate (length 210 feet, beam 19 feet 9 inches; depth 13 feet 6 inches) fitted with 5,400 indicated horsepower (total) marine engines similar in design to those of the Daring with steam supplied by Thornycroft water-tube boilers; armament, six quick-firing guns and two torpedo tubes; were both launched on the 15th of February 1896.