H.M.S. Swordfish (1895)

H.M.S. Swordfish (1895)
Builder:	Armstrong
Ordered:	1893-94
Laid down:	4 Jun, 1894
Launched:	27 Mar, 1895
Commissioned:	Dec, 1896
Broken up:	1910

H.M.S. Swordfish was one of forty-two "A" class destroyers built for the Royal Navy — a "27 knotter".

Service

Swordfish was broken up before the war.

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

• Lieutenant & Commander James R. P. Hawksley, 10 September, 1898
• Lieutenant & Commander Alan C. Bruce, 6 January, 1899 – 11 April, 1899
• Lieutenant & Commander Charles Tibbits, 2 September, 1899 – 7 November, 1899
• Lieutenant & Commander John W. E. Townsend, May, 1902
• Lieutenant & Commander Colin K. MacLean, 28 February, 1903
• Commander Charles J. Collins, 1 April, 1906 – 28 May, 1906
• Lieutenant in Command Joseph A. Shuter, 28 May, 1906 – 3 August, 1906
• Lieutenant & Commander George W. McO. Campbell, 23 January, 1907 – 21 January, 1909
• Lieutenant & Commander Arthur W. Benson, 21 January, 1909 – 30 April, 1909

Equipment

In 1896, Swordfish and Spitfire were fitted with Tower's Steady Platform for its search light which proved "very satisfactory," having been improved since the initial 1889 evaluation. In tests at Chatham on 13th October, 1896, Spitfire was moored in basin number 3 and rolled about 25 degrees while she shone her light on a hatch-painted test vessel. The light beam did not waver by more than a half degree during the test.

See Also

• Wikipedia