HMS Vesuvius (1874)

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.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Vesuvius.

History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Vesuvius
BuilderPembroke Dockyard
Laid down16 March 1873
Launched24 March 1874
Completed11 September 1874
FateSold for scrap 1923
General characteristics
Displacement245 long tons (249 t)
Length90 ft 0 in (27.43 m) pp
Beam22 ft 0 in (6.71 m)
Draught8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Installed power350 ihp (260 kW)
Propulsion
Speed9.7 kn (11.2 mph; 18.0 km/h)
Complement15
Armament1 × 16 inch torpedo tube

Design

From 1864, the English engineer Robert Whitehead, based at Fiume in the Austrian empire (now Rijeka in Croatia), began work on a self-propelled, or "locomotive" torpedo which would run underwater, powered by compressed air.[lower-alpha 1] By 1868, Whitehead had solved the problem of depth control, and was offering his torpedo to the navies of the world. After trials from the sloop Oberon in September–October 1868, the Admiralty purchased a license to build Whitehead's torpedo, with production beginning at the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich, London in 1872.[2][3][4][5]

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) long between perpendiculars, with a beam of 22 feet 0 inches (6.71 m) and a draught of 8 feet 6 inches (2.59 m). Displacement was 382 long tons (388 t) normal. Freeboard was low to make the ship more difficult to spot. The ship was powered by compound steam engines rated at 382 indicated horsepower (285 kW) which drove two propeller shafts, giving a speed of 9.7 knots (11.2 mph; 18.0 km/h).[8][9] The ship's engines were designed to minimise noise to aid in making stealthy attacks, while her boilers were fuelled by coke to minimise the production of smoke, which was designed to be vented underwater to further reduce the ship's conspicuousness.[9][10]

The ship was fitted with a single submerged torpedo tube in her bow capable of launching 16-inch torpedoes. The torpedo tube was 19 feet (5.8 m) long and 2 feet (0.6 m) in diameter, with the torpedo running on rollers within the tube. A total of ten torpedoes were carried, each about 14 feet (4.3 m) long and carrying a warhead of 67 pounds (30 kg) of guncotton. No guns were carried.[9][10] The ship had a crew of 15.[9]

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 House of Commons at Portsmouth witness torpedo trials involving Vesuvius. The Graphic 1878

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.[9][12] In 1886–1887, Vesuvius took part in a series of trials to test anti-torpedo nets, firing torpedoes against the old ironclad Resistance. The conclusion of the tests were that anti-torpedo nets were an effective protection against torpedoes.[13]

Vesuvius remained attached to HMS Vernon at Portsmouth during the First World War, and was finally sold for scrap on 14 September 1923 to the shipbreakers Cashmore, she foundered under tow to Cashmore's yard at Newport.[14][15]

Notes
  1. 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
  1. Gardiner & Lambert 1992, pp. 135–136
  2. Gardiner & Lambert 1992, pp. 136–137
  3. Brown 2003, pp. 81–82
  4. Chesneau & Kolesnik 1979, p. 86
  5. Clowes 1903, pp. 58–59
  6. Brown 2003, pp. 82–83
  7. Gardiner & Lambert 1992, p. 138
  8. Friedman 2009, p. 286
  9. Chesneau & Kolesnik 1979, p. 88
  10. Brown 2003, p. 83
  11. Brassey 1895, p. 217
  12. Friedman 2009, p. 21
  13. Brown 2003, pp. 102–103
  14. Dittmar & Colledge 1972, p. 324
  15. 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.
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