HMS Decoy (1894)

From SpottingWorld, the Hub for the SpottingWorld network...
300px
HMS Decoy
Career Royal Navy Ensign
Name: HMS Decoy
Builder: John I. Thornycroft & Company,
Chiswick
Launched: 7 February 1894
Fate: Sunk in collision, 13 August 1904
General characteristics
Class and type: Daring-class torpedo boat destroyer
Displacement: 260 long tons (260 t)
Length: 185 ft (56 m)
Beam: 19 ft (5.8 m)
Draught: 6 ft (1.8 m)
Installed power: 4,200 hp (3,100 kW)
Propulsion: 2 × 4-cylinder, triple expansion steam engines
Speed: 27 kn (31 mph; 50 km/h)
Crew: 46-53
Armament: 1 × 12 pdr (5.4 kg) gun, 3 × 6 pdr (2.7 kg) guns, 3 × 18 in (460 mm) torpedo tubes [1]

HMS Decoy was a Daring-class torpedo boat destroyer which served with the Royal Navy.

She was built by John I. Thornycroft & Company at Chiswick and was launched on 7 February 1894. [1]

Although fitted with multiple torpedo tubes, her bow tube proved useless in practice as — while running at high attack speeds — the ship was prone to overtake its own torpedo. The clumsy tube also reduced living quarters and made the bridge very prone to flooding.

Decoy was lost in a collision with Arun off the Scilly Islands on 13 August 1904[2] while taking part in night exercises.[3] One man was killed while the remaining 40 members of the crew were rescued by Arun and Sturgeon. [3]

Courts martial regarding the sinking were subsequently assembled aboard the battleship Conqueror. The first, on 22 August[4], attributed blame on the commander of Arun. The second, an appeal, was held on 30 August[5], and dismissed the charge of neglect but confirmed the charge of hazarding both vessels.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 The Times (London), Thursday, 8 February 1894, p.4
  2. The Times (London), Wednesday, 15 August 1904, p.5
  3. 3.0 3.1 Kemp, Paul (1999). The Admiralty Regrets British Warship Losses of the 20th Century. Sutton Publishing Ltd. pp. p1. ISBN 0750915676. 
  4. The Times (London), Thursday, 23 August 1904, p.9
  5. The Times (London), Friday, 31 August 1904, p.4
  • Lyon, David (1996). The First Destroyers. ISBN 1-84067-364-8. 
  • Captain T.D. Manning (1961). The British Destroyer. Putnam and Co. 

de:HMS Decoy (1894)