HMS Antelope (1893)

HMS Antelope was a Royal Navy Alarm-class torpedo gunboat. She was launched in 1893, reduced to harbour service from 1910 and was sold for scrapping in 1919.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Antelope.

HMS Antelope in the River Avon, Bristol, circa 1908.
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Antelope
BuilderDevonport Dockyard
Laid down21 October 1889[1]
Launched12 July 1893
Commissioned18 July 1894[1]
FateSold for breaking on 27 May 1919
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeAlarm-class torpedo gunboat
Displacement810 tons
Length242 ft (74 m)
Beam27 ft (8.2 m)
Draught12 ft 6 in (3.81 m) maximum
Installed power3,500 ihp (2,600 kW)
Propulsion
  • 2 × 3-cylinder vertical triple-expansion steam engines
  • Locomotive boilers
  • Twin screws
Speed18.7 kn (34.6 km/h)
Complement91
Armament

Design

The Alarm class was designed by Sir William White in 1889. They had a length overall of 242 ft (74 m), a beam of 27 ft (8.2 m) and a displacement of 810 tons.[1] Antelope was engined by Yarrows with two sets of vertical triple-expansion steam engines, two locomotive-type boilers, and twin screws.[1] This layout produced 3,500 indicated horsepower (2,600 kW), giving her a speed of 18.7 knots (34.6 km/h) with forced draught.[1] She carried between 100 and 160 tons of coal and was manned by 91 sailors and officers.[1]

Armament

When built Antelope was fitted with two QF 4.7-inch (12 cm)/45-pounder guns, four 3-pounder guns and one Gardner machine gun. Her three 18-inch torpedo tubes[Note 1] were arranged as a pair of revolving deck mounts and a single bow-mounted tube; three reloads were provided.[1]

History

Construction

Antelope was laid down at Devonport Dockyard on 21 October 1889.[2] Construction was delayed by several months by problems with the ship's propeller shafts.[3] She was finally launched, by Miss Crocker, the daughter of the shipyard manager on 12 July 1893.[4][2] In 2015, her grandson displayed a commemorative wooden box, holding the mallet and chisel she used to server the rope tethering the ship, on the BBC programme Antiques Roadshow.[4] The ship was completed in May 1894 at a cost of £61,395.[2][5]

Service

In August 1894 Antelope took part in that year's Naval Manoeuvres,[6] and in July 1896 again took part in the Manoeuvres,[7] On 26 June 1897 she was present at the Fleet Review at Spithead in celebration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee,[8][9] and in July that year took part in the Reserve Fleet Manoeuvres.[10] In April 1899, it was announced that Antelope was to be allocated to training of naval reserves, supporting the training Hulk Daedalus at Bristol.[11]

On 27 June 1900 it was announced that the date of the mobilization for naval manoeuvres had been fixed for 10 July. Antelope, together with capital ships, cruisers, torpedo boats and other torpedo gunboats, was ordered to be ready for sea,[8] and took part as part of 'Fleet B'.[12] In July the next year Antelope took part in the 1901 manoeuvres.[13]

Commander Henry Arthur Phillips was appointed in command in early May 1902,[14] and in July 1902 she rejoined the Channel and Home squadrons.[15] She took part in the fleet review held at Spithead on 16 August 1902 for the coronation of King Edward VII.[16] Commander William Nicholson was appointed in command on 10 September 1902.[17]

Antelope had been stricken from the effective list by 1905, being described in Parliament as being "of comparatively small fighting value", although her armament was not removed. Torpedo gunboats that had been re-boilered and re-engined were considered still effective and retained in service, but it was not felt worthwhile to re-engine the remaining torpedo gunboats, such as Antelope.[18] Antelope was reduced to harbour service from 1910 and used as a training ship at Devonport.[1]

In July 1914 she was listed for sale at Devonport.[19][8] Following the outbreak of the First World War, Antelope returned to training duties at Devonport,[20] where she was used for training of stokers.[21]

Disposal

Antelope was sold to T R Sales for breaking on 27 May 1919.[1]

Pennant numbers
Pennant number[22]From
D251914
N25September 1915

Notes
  1. British "18 inch" torpedoes were 17.72 inches (45.0 cm) in diameter

References
  1. Winfield (2004) p.306.
  2. Friedman 2009, p. 301
  3. "Naval Matters–Past and Prospective: April–May: Devonport and Keyham". The Marine Engineer. Vol. 15. May 1893. p. 69.
  4. "The Royal William Yard 2". Antiques Roadshow. Series 38. 19 October 2015. BBC. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  5. Brassey 1895, p. 209
  6. Brassey 1895, pp. 62–63, 67
  7. Brassey 1897, pp. 148–158
  8. "HMS Antelope at the Index of 19th Century Naval Vessels". Archived from the original on 2 September 2006. Retrieved 24 February 2009.
  9. Brassey 1898, pp. facing page 12, 15
  10. Brassey 1898, pp. 128–129, 134–137
  11. "Naval Reserve Training". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 70. House of Commons. 21 April 1899. col. 220.
  12. Leyland 1901, pp. 90–92
  13. Brassey 1902, pp. 86–87, 90–91
  14. "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36739. London. 11 April 1902. p. 10.
  15. "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36824. London. 19 July 1902. p. 8.
  16. "Naval Review at Spithead". The Times. No. 36847. London. 15 August 1902. p. 5.
  17. "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36871. London. 12 September 1902. p. 4.
  18. Brassey 1905, pp. 10–11
  19. "List of Vessels Available for Subsidiary Services, Hulks, and Vessels for Sale". The Navy List. August 1914. pp. 410–15. Retrieved 13 December 2018 – via National Library of Scotland.
  20. Dittmar & Colledge 1972, p. 322
  21. "Antelope: Torpedo Gun Boat". The Navy List. January 1915. p. 274. Retrieved 13 December 2018 – via National Library of Scotland.
  22. Dittmar & Colledge 1972, p. 107

Bibliography
  • Brassey, T. A., ed. (1895). The Naval Annual 1895. Portsmouth, UK: J Griffin and Co.
  • Brassey, T. A., ed. (1897). The Naval Annual 1897. Portsmouth, UK: J Griffin and Co.
  • Brassey, T. A., ed. (1898). The Naval Annual 1898. Portsmouth, UK: J Griffin and Co.
  • Brassey, T. A., ed. (1902). The Naval Annual 1902. Portsmouth, UK: J Griffin and Co.
  • Brassey, T. A., ed. (1905). The Naval Annual 1905. Portsmouth, UK: J Griffin and Co.
  • Brown, Les (2023). Royal Navy Torpedo Vessels. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-3990-2285-9.
  • 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.
  • Dittmar, F. J.; Colledge, J. J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0380-7.
  • Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the Second World War. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-049-9.
  • Leyland, John, ed. (1901). The Naval Annual 1901. Portsmouth, UK: J Griffin and Co.
  • 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. OCLC 52620555.
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