The A class as designated in 1913 was a heterogeneous group of torpedo boat destroyers (TBDs) built for the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 in the mid-1890s. Some 42 vessels were constructed to the individual designs of their builders to meet Admiralty

Admiralty

The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...

 specifications, the only uniting feature being a specified top speed of 27 knots (52.9 km/h). In fact the initial six vessels were generally differentiated by a slightly lower speed and were often referred to as "26-knotters" to distinguish them from the following batch of thirty-six vessels; all surviving "27-knotter" vessels were classified by the Admiralty as the A class in 1913 to provide some system to the naming of HM destroyers

Naming conventions for destroyers of the Royal Navy

The first Torpedo Boat Destroyer in the Royal Navy was HMS Havock of 1893. From 1906, the term "Torpedo Boat Destroyer" began to appear in the shortened form "Destroyer" when referring to Destroyer Flotillas...

. All of the "26-knotters" and most of the "27-knotters" had been lost or scrapped before the 1913 classification (and so - strictly speaking - never survived to become 'A' class), but for convenience all 42 ships are listed below. The number of funnels varied from one to four. All vessels had a distinctive "turtleback" forecastle

Forecastle

Forecastle refers to the upper deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast, or the forward part of a ship with the sailors' living quarters...

 that was intended to clear water from the bow, but actually tended to dig the bow in to anything of a sea, resulting in a very wet conning position.

They generally displaced around 260 tons and had a length of around 200 feet (61 m). All were powered by triple expansion steam engines

Steam engine

A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...

 and had coal-fired

Coal

Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...

 water-tube boiler

Water-tube boiler

A water tube boiler is a type of boiler in which water circulates in tubes heated externally by the fire. Fuel is burned inside the furnace, creating hot gas which heats water in the steam-generating tubes...

s (although initially, some had "locomotive type" fire-tube boiler

Fire-tube boiler

A fire-tube boiler is a type of boiler in which hot gases from a fire pass through one or more tubes running through a sealed container of water...

s in lieu). Armament was generally one QF 12 pounder on a bandstand on the forecastle, up to five QF 6 pounder and 2 single tubes for 14 inches (355.6 mm) torpedo

Torpedo

The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...

es. The Daring and Havock class ships initially had a third tube in the bow, fixed to fire straight ahead, but this was found to weigh down the bows and it was possible for the ship to run over its own torpedo when moving at high speed, as such they were later removed and this feature was not repeated in later vessels.

Ships

The 26-knotter group (ordered under the 1892-93 Programme)

Originally Daring class destroyer; both built by John I. Thornycroft & Company

John I. Thornycroft & Company

John I. Thornycroft & Company Limited, usually known simply as Thornycroft was a British shipbuilding firm started by John Isaac Thornycroft in the 19th century.-History:...

, Chiswick

Chiswick

Chiswick is a large suburb of west London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located on a meander of the River Thames, west of Charing Cross and is one of 35 major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, with...

., launched 25 November 1893, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912., launched 7 February 1894, sunk in collision with Arun 13 August 1904.
Originally ; both built by Yarrow Shipbuilders

Yarrow Shipbuilders

Yarrow Limited , often styled as simply Yarrows, was a major shipbuilding firm based in the Scotstoun district of Glasgow on the River Clyde...

, Poplar

Poplar, London

Poplar is a historic, mainly residential area of the East End of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is about east of Charing Cross. Historically a hamlet in the parish of Stepney, Middlesex, in 1817 Poplar became a civil parish. In 1855 the Poplar District of the Metropolis was...

., launched 12 August 1893, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912., launched 3 December 1893, sold for breaking up 12 October 1909.
Originally ; both built by Laird Brothers, Birkenhead., launched 9 December 1893, dismantled 1910 and sunk as target 1911., launched 24 January 1894, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.

The 27-knotter group (ordered under the 1893-94 Programme)
Initially six TBDs (the Thornycroft and Yarrow vessels below) were ordered under the 1893-94 Estimates, but a series of follow-up orders raised the programme to thirty-six vessels.

Originally ; all built by John I. Thornycroft & Company, Chiswick., launched 16 October 1894, sold for breaking up 10 October 1911., launched 28 November 1894, lost in collision with SS St Patrick in the Channel 8 February 1918., launched 27 February 1895, sold for breaking up 26 May 1914.
Originally ; all built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Poplar., launched 15 September 1894, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912., launched 28 November 1894, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912., launched 16 June 1894, sold for breaking up 9 July 1912.
Originally ; all built by Laird Brothers, Birkenhead

Birkenhead

Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...

, launched 17 November 1894, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912., launched 1 December 1894, sold for breaking up 11 July 1911., launched 15 December 1894, sold for breaking up 9 July 1912.
Originally ; all built by J. Samuel White

J. Samuel White

J. Samuel White was a British shipbuilding firm based in Cowes, taking its name from John Samuel White . It came to prominence during the Victorian era...

, Cowes

Cowes

Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east Bank...

, launched 13 December 1894, sold for breaking up 20 May 1920., launched 9 February 1895, sold for breaking up 9 July 1912., launched 27 February 1895, sold for breaking up 20 May 1920.
Originally ; both built by Hanna, Donald & Wilson

Hanna, Donald & Wilson

Hanna, Donald and Wilson were a Scottish engineering and shipbuilding firm which flourished in the Victorian era.The general engineering firm of Reid & Hanna was founded in 1816 in Paisley in Scotland. James Donald became a partner in the firm in 1851 and firm incorporated his name...

, Paisley

Paisley

Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...

., launched 20 March 1895, sold for breaking up 20 May 1920., launched 10 May 1895, sold for breaking up 20 May 1920.
Originally ; all built by Fairfields

Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company

The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited was a British shipbuilding company in the Govan area on the Clyde in Glasgow. Fairfields, as it is often known, was a major warship builder, turning out many vessels for the Royal Navy and other navies through the First World War and the...

, Govan

Govan

Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....

, launched 9 March 1895, sold for breaking up 1916 at Hong Kong., launched 27 March 1895, sold for breaking up 1912 at Hong Kong., launched 28 December 1895, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.
Originally ; both built by William Doxford & Sons

William Doxford & Sons

William Doxford & Sons Ltd, often referred to simply as Doxford, was a British shipbuilding company.-History:The Company was established by William Doxford in 1840. From 1870 it was based in Pallion, Sunderland, on the River Wear in Northeast England. The Company was managed by William Doxford's...

, Sunderland., launched 16 December 1895, sold for breaking up 11 July 1911., launched 18 September 1895, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.
Originally Janus class

Janus class destroyer

Three Janus class destroyers served with the Royal Navy. , and were launched by Palmer's shipyard. They displaced 275 tons, were 200 feet long and produced 3,900 hp from their Reed boilers which gave them a top speed of 27 knots....

; all built by Palmers

Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company

Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company Limited, often referred to simply as Palmers, was a British shipbuilding company. The Company was based in Jarrow, in Northeast England and also had operations in Hebburn and Willington Quay on the River Tyne....

, Jarrow

Jarrow

Jarrow is a town in Tyne and Wear, England, located on the River Tyne, with a population of 27,526. From the middle of the 19th century until 1935, Jarrow was a centre for shipbuilding, and was the starting point of the Jarrow March against unemployment in 1936.-Foundation:The Angles re-occupied...

., launched 12 March 1895, sold for breaking up 1914 at Hong Kong., launched 10 April 1895, sunk, probably by mine, 30 June 1915., launched 19 September 1895, sold for breaking up 29 April 1920.
Originally ; all built by Hawthorn

Hawthorn Leslie and Company

R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Limited, usually referred to as Hawthorn Leslie, was a shipbuilding and locomotive manufacturer. The Company was founded on Tyneside in 1886 and ceased building ships in 1982.-History:...

, Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...

., launched 9 August 1895, sold for breaking up 7 June 1920., launched 4 October 1895, sold for breaking up 29 July 1920., launched 28 May 1895, sold for breaking up 20 July 1920.
Ex-; all built by J & G Thomson (later to become John Brown and Company), Clydebank

Clydebank

Clydebank is a town in West Dunbartonshire, in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, Clydebank borders Dumbarton, the town with which it was combined to form West Dunbartonshire, as well as the town of Milngavie in East Dunbartonshire, and the Yoker and...

., launched 14 August 1894, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912., launched 22 September 1894, sold for breaking up 11 July 1911., launched 10 November 1894, sold for breaking up 23 March 1920.
Originally ; both built by Earle's

Earle's Shipbuilding

Earle's Shipbuilding was an engineering company that was based in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England from 1845 to 1932.-Earle Brothers:...

, Kingston upon Hull

Kingston upon Hull

Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...

., launched 15 January 1895, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912., launched 30 January 1895, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912.
Originally ; all built by Naval Construction and Armament Company (later to become Vickers and eventually Vickers-Armstrongs), Barrow in Furness., launched 21 July 1894, sold for breaking up 14 May 1912., launched 26 January 1895, sold for breaking up 15 May 1912., launched 13 March 1895, sold for breaking up 9 April 1907.
Originally ; both built by Armstrong Mitchell and Company (later part of Vickers-Armstrongs), Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...

, launched 7 June 1895, sold for breaking up 11 October 1910., launched 27 February 1895, sold for breaking up 10 April 1912.
Originally Zebra class

HMS Zebra (1895)

HMS Zebra was the fifth ship to be the name and was the lead ship of the Zebra class of destroyers. She was launched on 3 December 1895 and sold for scrap in 1914 after 19 years of service....

; built by Thames Iron Works, Bow Creek

Bow Creek

Bow Creek is a long tidal estuary of the River Lea and is part of the Bow Back Rivers. Below Bow Locks the creek forms the boundary between the London Boroughs of Newham and Tower Hamlets, in east London....

, launched 13 December 1895, sold for breaking up 30 July 1914.