B-class destroyer (1913)

The B class as designated in 1913 was a heterogeneous group of torpedo boat destroyers (TBDs) built for the Royal Navy in the late 1890s. They were constructed to the individual designs of their builders to meet Admiralty specifications, the uniting feature being a specified top speed of 30 kn and 4 funnels, although the funnel spacings differed between ships. All "30 knotter" vessels with 4 funnels were classified by the Admiralty as the B class in 1913 to provide some system to the naming of HM destroyers.

Fourteen vessels were built by Laird Brothers at Birkenhead (in 1903 to become part of Cammell-Laird, Birkenhead), seven by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company at Hebburn-on-Tyne, and one each by Armstrong Whitworth at Walker-on-Tyne, William Doxford and Sons at Sunderland, and J & G Thomson (later to become John Brown and Company) at Clydebank. All vessels had a distinctive "turtleback" forecastle that was intended to clear water from the bow, but actually tended to dig the bow into anything of a sea, resulting in a very wet conning position.

They generally displaced around 350 tons, one third more than the preceding A class, giving an increase in speed of 3 kn over the "27 knotters". Length was around 210 ft. All were powered by triple expansion steam engines and had coal-fired water-tube boilers. However, Albacore, Arab, Bonetta, Cobra and Express were builder's specials, and had steam turbines fitted in addition to, or in lieu of, the reciprocating engines, giving 6000 SHP to 9000 SHP for 26.75 kn to 31 kn. Armament was one QF 12 pounder gun on a bandstand on the forecastle, five QF 6 pounder guns (two sided abreast the conning tower, two sided between the funnels and one on the quarterdeck) and 2 single tubes for 18-inch (450-mm) torpedoes.

The last two Palmers boats, built in 1908, were replacements for the River class Gala and the C class Tiger that had collided and sunk that year. They were generally similar to the River (or E class) design, but were grouped with the B class as they possessed 4 funnels and were similarly armed, and made 27 kn on turbines.

Ships

 * Quail-class destroyer (all built by Laird, Birkenhead under the 1894-95 programme)
 * HMS Quail (1895), launched 24 September 1895, sold for breaking up 23 July 1919.
 * HMS Sparrowhawk (1895), launched 8 October 1895, wrecked off the Yangtze 17 June 1904.
 * HMS Thrasher (1895), launched 5 November 1895, sold for breaking up 4 November 1919.
 * HMS Virago (1895), launched 19 November 1895, sold for breaking up 10 October 1919.


 * Earnest-class destroyer (all built by Laird, Birkenhead under the 1895-96 programme)
 * HMS Earnest (1896), launched 7 November 1896, sold for breaking up 7 January 1920.
 * HMS Griffon (1896), launched 21 November 1896, sold for breaking up 7 January 1920.
 * HMS Locust (1896), launched 5 December 1896, sold for breaking up 6 October 1919.
 * HMS Panther (1897), launched 21 January 1897, sold for breaking up 7 June 1920.
 * HMS Seal (1897), launched 6 March 1897, sold for breaking up 17 March 1921.
 * HMS Wolf (1897), launched 2 June 1897, sold for breaking up 1 July 1921.


 * Express (built by Laird, Birkenhead as a steam-turbine powered "special" - under the 1896-97 programme)
 * HMS Express (1897), launched 11 December 1897, sold for breaking up 17 March 1920.


 * Orwell (built by Laird, Birkenhead under the 1897-98 programme)
 * HMS Orwell (1901), launched 29 September 1898, sold for breaking up 1 July 1920.


 * Lively-class destroyer (both built by Laird, Birkenhead under the 1899-1900 programme)
 * HMS Lively (1900), launched 14 July 1900, sold for breaking up 1 July 1921.
 * HMS Sprightly (1900), launched 25 August 1900, sold for breaking up 1 July 1921.


 * Success (built by Doxford, Sunderland under the 1899-1900 programme)
 * HMS Success (1901), launched 21 March 1901, wrecked off Fife Ness December 27, 1914, becoming the first wartime destroyer loss.


 * Palmers 4-funnelled group (built by Palmers, Jarrow, the Spiteful ordered under the 1897-98 programme, three purchased under the 1899-1900 Estimates and the Kangaroo purchased under a supplementary programme for 1900-01)
 * HMS Spiteful (1899), launched 11 January 1899, sold for breaking up 14 September 1920.
 * HMS Peterel (1899), launched 30 March 1899, sold for breaking up 30 August 1919.
 * HMS Myrmidon (1900), launched 26 May 1900, rammed and sunk by SS Hambourn in the English Channel, 26 March 1917.
 * HMS Syren (1900), launched 20 December 1900, sold for breaking up 14 September 1920.
 * HMS Kangaroo (1901), launched 29 December 1899 and purchased in July 1901, sold for breaking up 23 March 1920.


 * Arab (built by J & G Thomson, Clydebank as a steam-turbine powered "special" under the 1896-97 programme)
 * HMS Arab (1901), launched 9 February 1901, sold for breaking up 23 July 1919.


 * Cobra (built by Armstrong Whitworth, Elswick as a steam-turbine powered "special")
 * HMS Cobra (1899), launched 28 June 1899 and purchased 8 May 1900, wrecked while on delivery voyage 19 September 1901.


 * Palmers final group (steam turbine powered)
 * HMS Albacore (1909), launched 9 October 1906 and purchased 3 May 1909, sold for breaking up 1 August 1919.
 * HMS Bonetta (1909), launched 14 January 1907 and purchased 3 May 1909, sold for breaking up 7 June 1920.