A-class destroyer (1913)

The A class as designated in 1913 was a heterogeneous group of torpedo boat destroyers (TBDs) built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1890s. Some 42 vessels were constructed to the individual designs of their builders to meet Admiralty specifications, the only uniting feature being a specified top speed of 27 kn. In fact the initial six vessels were generally differentiated by a slightly lower speed and were often referred to as "26-knotters" to distinguish them from the following batch of thirty-six vessels; all surviving "27-knotter" vessels were classified by the Admiralty as the A class in 1913 to provide some system to the naming of HM destroyers. All of the "26-knotters" and most of the "27-knotters" had been lost or scrapped before the 1913 classification (and so - strictly speaking - never survived to become 'A' class), but for convenience all 42 ships are listed below. The number of funnels varied from one to four. All vessels had a distinctive "turtleback" forecastle that was intended to clear water from the bow, but actually tended to dig the bow in to anything of a sea, resulting in a very wet conning position.

They generally displaced around 260 tons and had a length of around 200 ft. All were powered by triple expansion steam engines and had coal-fired water-tube boilers (although initially, some had "locomotive type" fire-tube boilers in lieu). Armament was generally one QF 12 pounder on a bandstand on the forecastle, up to five QF 6 pounder and 2 single tubes for 14 in torpedoes. The Daring and Havock class ships initially had a third tube in the bow, fixed to fire straight ahead, but this was found to weigh down the bows and it was possible for the ship to run over its own torpedo when moving at high speed, as such they were later removed and this feature was not repeated in later vessels.

The 26-knotter group
Six ships were ordered under the 1892-93 programme:


 * Daring-class destroyer; both built by John I. Thornycroft & Company, Chiswick.
 * HMS Daring (1893), launched 25 November 1893, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.
 * HMS Decoy (1894), launched 7 February 1894, sunk in collision with Arun 13 August 1904.
 * Havock-class destroyer; both built by Yarrow Shipbuilders, Poplar.
 * HMS Havock (1893), launched 12 August 1893, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912.
 * HMS Hornet (1893), launched 3 December 1893, sold for breaking up 12 October 1909.
 * Ferret-class destroyer; both built by Laird Brothers, Birkenhead.
 * HMS Ferret (1893), launched 9 December 1893, dismantled 1910 and sunk as target 1911.
 * HMS Lynx (1894), launched 24 January 1894, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.

The 27-knotter group
Initially six torpedo boat destroyers (the Thornycroft and Yarrow vessels below) were ordered under the 1893-94 Estimates, but a series of follow-up orders raised the programme to thirty-six vessels.


 * Ardent-class destroyer; all built by John I. Thornycroft & Company, Chiswick.
 * HMS Ardent (1894), launched 16 October 1894, sold for breaking up 10 October 1911.
 * HMS Boxer (1894), launched 28 November 1894, lost in collision with SS St Patrick in the Channel 8 February 1918.
 * HMS Bruizer (1895), launched 27 February 1895, sold for breaking up 26 May 1914.
 * Charger-class destroyer; all built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Poplar.
 * HMS Charger (1894), launched 15 September 1894, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912.
 * HMS Dasher (1895), launched 28 November 1894, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912.
 * HMS Hasty (1894), launched 16 June 1894, sold for breaking up 9 July 1912.
 * Banshee-class destroyer; all built by Laird Brothers, Birkenhead
 * HMS Banshee (1894), launched 17 November 1894, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.
 * HMS Contest (1894), launched 1 December 1894, sold for breaking up 11 July 1911.
 * HMS Dragon (1894), launched 15 December 1894, sold for breaking up 9 July 1912.
 * Conflict-class destroyer; all built by J. Samuel White, Cowes
 * HMS Conflict (1894), launched	13 December 1894, sold for breaking up 20 May 1920.
 * HMS Teazer (1895), launched 9 February 1895, sold for breaking up 9 July 1912.
 * HMS Wizard (1895), launched 27 February 1895, sold for breaking up 20 May 1920.
 * Fervent-class destroyer; both built by Hanna, Donald & Wilson, Paisley.
 * HMS Fervent (1895), launched 20 March 1895, sold for breaking up 20 May 1920.
 * HMS Zephyr (1895), launched 10 May 1895, sold for breaking up 20 May 1920.
 * Handy-class destroyer; all built by Fairfields, Govan
 * HMS Handy (1895), launched 9 March 1895, sold for breaking up 1916 at Hong Kong.
 * HMS Hart (1895), launched	27 March 1895, sold for breaking up 1912 at Hong Kong.
 * HMS Hunter (1895), launched 28 December 1895, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.
 * Hardy-class destroyer; both built by William Doxford & Sons, Sunderland.
 * HMS Hardy (1895), launched 16 December 1895, sold for breaking up 11 July 1911.
 * HMS Haughty (1895), launched 18 September 1895, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.
 * Janus class; all built by Palmers, Jarrow.
 * HMS Janus (1895), launched 12 March 1895, sold for breaking up 1914 at Hong Kong.
 * HMS Lightning (1895), launched 10 April 1895, sunk, probably by mine, 30 June 1915.
 * HMS Porcupine (1895), launched 19 September 1895, sold for breaking up 29 April 1920.
 * Sunfish-class destroyer; all built by Hawthorn, Newcastle upon Tyne.
 * HMS Sunfish (1895), launched 9 August 1895, sold for breaking up 7 June 1920.
 * HMS Opposum (1895), launched 4 October 1895, sold for breaking up 29 July 1920.
 * HMS Ranger (1895), launched 28 May 1895, sold for breaking up 20 July 1920.
 * Rocket-class destroyer; all built by J & G Thomson (later to become	John Brown and Company), Clydebank.
 * HMS Rocket (1894), launched 14 August 1894, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.
 * HMS Shark (1894), launched 22 September 1894, sold for breaking up 11 July 1911.
 * HMS Surly (1894), launched 10 November 1894, sold for breaking up 23 March 1920.
 * Salmon-class destroyer; both built by Earle's, Kingston upon Hull.
 * HMS Salmon (1895), launched 15 January 1895, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912.
 * HMS Snapper (1895), launched 30 January 1895, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912.
 * Sturgeon-class destroyer; all built by Naval Construction and Armament Company (later to become Vickers and eventually Vickers-Armstrongs), Barrow in Furness.
 * HMS Sturgeon (1894), launched 21 July 1894, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912.
 * HMS Starfish (1894), launched 26 January 1895, sold for breaking up 15 May 1912.
 * HMS Skate (1895), launched 13 March 1895, sold for breaking up 9 April 1907.
 * Swordfish-class destroyer; both built by Armstrong Mitchell and Company (later part of Vickers-Armstrongs), Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne
 * HMS Swordfish (1895), launched 7 June 1895, sold for breaking up 11 October 1910.
 * HMS Spitfire (1895), launched 27 February 1895, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.
 * Zebra class; built by Thames Iron Works, Bow Creek
 * HMS Zebra (1895), launched 13 December 1895, sold for breaking up 30 July 1914.