Contents

Grasshopper-class torpedo gunboat

Spider
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 long tons (533 t)
Length	200 ft (61 m) (pp)
Beam	23 ft (7.0 m)
Draught	8 ft 9 in (2.67 m)
Installed power	2Locomotive boilers 1,600 ihp (1,200 kW) (natural draught) 2,700 ihp (2,000 kW) (forced draught)
Propulsion	2 screws; 2 × triple-expansion steam engines
Speed	19.25 knots (35.65 km/h; 22.15 mph)
Range	2,400 nmi (4,400 km; 2,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	66
Armament	2 × 14 in (356 mm) torpedo tubes 2 × 14 in (356 mm) torpedo carriages 1 × 4 in (102 mm) gun 6 × 3-pounder guns

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.

Design[edit]

The Grasshopper 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 long tons (533 t). They were engined with two sets of Maudslay, Sons & Field triple-expansion steam engines, two locomotive 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; 22.15 mph).^[1] They carried 100 tons of coal, giving them a range of about 2,400 nautical miles (4,400 km; 2,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) and were manned by 66 sailors and officers.

Armament[edit]

The class was each fitted with one 4 inch Gun and six 3-pounder guns. Two 14-inch (356 mm) torpedo tubes and two additional 14-inch torpedo carriages. 4 reload torpedoes were carried

Ships[edit]

See also[edit]

• List of torpedo gunboats of the Royal Navy

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

• 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.
• 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.