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ROYAL NAVY (UNITED KINGDOM)

TORPEDO SHIPS

Palmer 27-knotters, 1893-94 follow-up order destroyers (1895-1896)

Porcupine 1899

Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
Janus     Palmer, Jarrow 28.3.1894 12.3.1895 11.1895 sold 3.1914
Lightning N23   Palmer, Jarrow 28.3.1894 10.4.1895 1.1896 sunk 30.6.1915
Porcupine N19, D0A, D69   Palmer, Jarrow 28.3.1894 19.9.1895 3.1896 sold 4.1920

 

Displacement normal, t

275

Displacement full, t

320

Length, m

61.1 oa 59.7 pp

Breadth, m

5.85

Draught, m

2.44

No of shafts

2

Machinery

2 3-cyl VTE, 4 Reed boilers

Power, h. p.

3900

Max speed, kts

28

Fuel, t

coal 68

Endurance, nm(kts) 3000(10)

Armament

1 x 1 - 76/40 12pdr 12cwt QF Mk I, 5 x 1 - 57/40 6pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 2 x 1 - 450 TT (4)

Complement

54

Project history: Before the Havock had completed it was decided to order another six destroyers from Thornycroft and Yarrow. Another nine were ordered from other builders making up, a few months later, the 1893/94 Programme. Apart from a slight increase in size the main difference was that the gun armament was increased by 2 57mm guns. The first six (the Thornycroft and Yarrow boats) had a bow tube fitted, but it was found to throw up clouds of spray in anything except a flat calm, had a bad effect on seakeeping and was soon removed.
It was with these three funnelled boats that Palmer began to establish their reputation of building the most seaworthy of all the builders' destroyers.

Modernizations: None.

Naval service: Janus was sold at Hong Kong for BU in 1914. Lightning was mined in North Sea in mouth of Thames 30.6.1915.

Janus

Porcupine 1899

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