The Oberon Committee or as it was better known the Torpedo Committee had for a long time considered carrying out a series of practical experiments with the view of ascertaining the maximum at which the engines of an enemies vessel might be placed hors de combat, or the ship itself destroyed by a submarine torpedo [mine]. With this in mind H.M.S. Oberon, an old iron paddle vessel was fitted with an outer skin of iron plating to simulate the hull of the central battery ironclad H.M.S. Hercules. Generally, the experiments demonstrated the fact that the hull of an ironclad was practically safe from danger at a range 100 ft. from a 500 lb. charge of gun cotton detonated in 48 ft. of water, but her engines were liable to derangement at that distance.