Royal Navy Torpedo Vessels, 1870-1914

Книга на английском языке
The self-propelled torpedo was probably the greatest game-changer in the history of naval warfare. For the first time, the largest warship could be sunk by a weapon carried by the smallest, and most navies were quick to see the potential. The Royal Navy was an ‘early adopter’ of the torpedo and was instrumental in the development of the small fast craft that became the delivery system of choice, the steam torpedo boat.
This new book is the first in-depth study of the development of the type and is largely based on contemporary reports and technical publications. The author describes the history of the British steam torpedo boat from the early experimental craft like Vesuvius and Polyphemus, through the 1st Class TBs to the so-called Coastal Destroyers of the early twentieth century. There are also separate chapters on 2nd Class boats, on Torpedo Gunboats and on the ‘Torpedo Depot Ships’ Hecla and Vulcan. The book concludes with a number of appendices devoted to background issues such as quick-firing guns and reports on the performance of the boats in various sea conditions.
This detailed work fills a surprising gap in the technical history of British warships, and offers a fine reference tool for naval historians and enthusiasts, and modelmakers.

Содержание
Introduction
1 The Deployment of Moored, Towed and Spar Torpedoes
2 Launching the Whitehead Torpedo
3 HMS Vernon, HMS Defiance, HMS Vesuvius and HMS Polyphemus
4 First-class Torpedo Boats, TB1-TB79
5 First-class Torpedo Boats, TB80-TB117
6 The Cricket/Gadfly/Mayfly Class (TB1-TB36')
7 Second-class Torpedo Boats
8 Torpedo Gunboats
9 HMS Hecla and HMS Vulcan
Appendices
1 Experimental Cruise of Torpedo Flotilla
2 Disposition of First-class Torpedo Boats
3 Comparative Trials of Second-class Torpedo Boats
4 Quick-firing Guns
5 The Davits of HMS Vulcan
6 Turbinia
7 Aluminium Torpedo Boats
Bibliography
Index
Colour plate section between pages 96 and 97