Grasshopper-class torpedo gunboat

The Grasshopper-class torpedo gunboat was a class of torpedo gunboat built for the Royal Navy in the late 19th century. All three ships were scrapped before World War I.

HMS Spider, a Grasshopper class torpedo boat
Class overview
Name:	Grasshopper-class torpedo gunboat
Builders:	Devonport Dockyard Sheerness Dockyard
Operators:	Royal Navy
Preceded by:	HMS Rattlesnake (1886)
Succeeded by:	Sharpshooter class
Built:	1886–1888
In commission:	1888–1905[1]
Completed:	3
Lost:	0
Scrapped:	3
General characteristics [1]
Type:	Torpedo gunboat
Displacement:	525 tons
Length:	200 ft (61 m) pp
Beam:	23 ft (7.0 m)
Draught:	8 ft 9 in (2.67 m)
Installed power:	1,600 ihp (1,200 kW) (natural draught) 2,700 ihp (2,000 kW) (forced draught)
Propulsion:	2 × Maudslay, Sons & Field triple-expansion steam engines Locomotive boilers Twin screws (later re-boilered with water-tube boilers)
Speed:	19.25 kn (35.65 km/h)
Range:	2,400 nmi (4,400 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h)
Complement:	66
Armament:	2 × 14-inch (360 mm) torpedo tubes 2 × 14-inch (360 mm) torpedo carriages 1 × 4-inch (10 cm) gun 6 × 3-pounder guns

Design

The Sharpshooter class was designed by Nathaniel Barnaby in 1886 and were essentially repeats of the Rattlesnake of 1886. They had a length between perpendiculars of 200 ft (61 m), a beam of 23 ft (7.0 m) and a displacement of 525 tons.[1] They were engined with two sets of Maudslay, Sons & Field triple-expansion steam engines, two locomotive-type boilers, and twin screws. This layout produced 1,600 indicated horsepower (1,200 kW) with natural draught and 2,700 indicated horsepower (2,000 kW) with forced draught, giving them a top speed of 19.25 knots (35.65 km/h).[1] They carried 100 tons of coal, giving them a range of about 2,400 nautical miles (4,400 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) and were manned by 66 sailors and officers.

Armament

The class was each fitted with one 4 inch Gun and six 3-pounder guns. Two 14-inch (360 mm) torpedo tubes and two further 14-inch (360 mm) torpedo carriages. 4 reload torpedoes were carried

Ships

Name	Ship builder	Laid down	Launched	Completed	Fate
Grasshopper	Sheerness Dockyard	27 April 1886	30 August 1887	July 1888	Sold for breaking on 11 July 1905.
Sandfly	Devonport Dockyard	19 April 1886	20 September 1887	July 1888	Sold at Malta for breaking on 17 March 1905.
Spider	Devonport Dockyard	9 June 1886	17 October 1887	December 1888	Sold at Malta for breaking on 13 May 1903.

See also

• List of torpedo gunboats of the Royal Navy

References

1. Winfield (2004), p.304.

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• Winfield, R.; Lyon, D. (2004). The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-032-6.

External links

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