View source for HMS Spiteful (1899)

{{Short description|British warship}}
{{other ships|HMS Spiteful}}
{{good article}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
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|Ship image=HMS Spiteful under way.jpg
|Ship image size=300px
|Ship caption=HMS ''Spiteful''
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=[[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom]]
|Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}} 
|Ship name=''Spiteful''
|Ship namesake= 
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company|Palmers]], [[Jarrow]]
|Ship original cost=£50,977
|Ship yard number=
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|Ship laid down=12 January 1898
|Ship launched= 11 January 1899
|Ship sponsor=
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed= February 1900
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|Ship identification=*P&nbsp;73 (1900–1915)
*D&nbsp;91 (1915–1918)
*D&nbsp;76 (1918–1920)
|Ship motto=  
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=
|Ship captured=
|Ship fate= Sold for scrap 14&nbsp;September 1920
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Ship class={{sclass|Spiteful|destroyer|0}} [[torpedo boat destroyer]], classified as [[B-class destroyer (1913)|B-class]] in 1913
|Ship displacement=400 [[Long ton|tons]] (406.4 [[tonne]]s)
|Ship length={{convert|220|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|overall]]
|Ship beam={{convert|20|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship height= 
|Ship draught={{convert|9|ft|1|in|m|2|abbr=on}}
|Ship depth=
|Ship hold depth=
|Ship propulsion=*2&nbsp;[[triple expansion steam engine]]s
*4&nbsp;coal-fired [[Reed water tube boiler|Reed boilers]] (converted to [[fuel oil]] in 1904)
*{{convert|6300|hp|0|abbr=on}} ([[Horsepower#Indicated horsepower|indicated]]) 
|Ship speed= {{convert|30|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range= 4,000 [[Nautical mile|NM]] (at 13.05&nbsp;knots)
|Ship endurance=
|Ship boats=
|Ship complement= 63
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*1 × [[QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval gun|QF 12-pounder gun]]
*5 × [[QF 6-pounder Hotchkiss|QF 6-pounder guns]]
*2 × {{convert|18|in|mm|adj=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s
|Ship armour=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''HMS ''Spiteful''''' was a {{Sclass|Spiteful|destroyer|0}} [[torpedo boat destroyer]] built at [[Jarrow]], England, by [[Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company]] for the [[Royal Navy]] and launched in 1899. Specified to be able to steam at 30&nbsp;[[Knot (unit)|knots]], she spent her entire career serving in the seas around the [[British Isles]].

In 1904 ''Spiteful's'' boilers were modified to burn [[fuel oil]]. Tests were conducted by the Royal Navy in that year, comparing her performance using oil directly with that of a similar ship ([[HMS Peterel (1899)|HMS ''Peterel'']]) using coal, in which it was proved that burning oil offered significant advantages.<ref>{{cite news |date=14 September 1904 |title=Naval & Military Intelligence |newspaper=The Times |page=8 |issue=37499}}</ref> This led to the adoption of oil as the source of power for all warships built for the Royal Navy from 1912. In 1913 ''Spiteful'' was classified as a {{Sclass2|B|destroyer|||1913}}. She was sold and scrapped in 1920.

==Design and construction==
HMS ''Spiteful'' was one of about 60&nbsp;[[torpedo boat destroyer]]s built for use by the [[Royal Navy]] between 1893 and 1900 to the specifications of the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]]; she was also the 50th&nbsp;ship built for the Admiralty by [[Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company]], and the 12th torpedo boat destroyer built by them.{{sfn|Cocker|1981|p=11}}{{sfn|Anon.|1899a|p=475}}{{sfn|Lyon|2005|pp=77–80}} By the time of her construction, Palmers had come to be regarded as one of the "more successful builders [of this type of ship]".{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=23}} She was [[wikt:lay down|laid down]] on 12&nbsp;January 1898 at Palmers' [[Jarrow]] shipyard and launched on 11&nbsp;January 1899, at a cost of £50,977.<ref>{{harvnb|Lyon|2005|p=80}}; {{harvnb|Gardiner|1979|p=96}}; {{cite web|url=http://battleships-cruisers.co.uk/destroyers_before_1900.htm |title=Destroyers before 1900 |publisher=battleships-cruisers.co.uk |year=n.d. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160522015943/http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/destroyers_before_1900.htm |archive-date=22 May 2016 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all |access-date=27 November 2016 |postscript=;}} {{harvnb|Anon.|1899a|p=475}}; {{harvnb|Hurd|1914|p=98}}.</ref> She arrived at [[HMNB Portsmouth|Portsmouth]] for completion on 31&nbsp;August 1899, and this was achieved in February 1900.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://find.galegroup.com/bncn/infomark.do?docType=LTO&docLevel=FASCIMILE&prodId=BNCN&tabID=T012&type=multipage&version=1.0&retrieveFormat=MULTIPAGE_DOCUMENT&userGroupName=soas&docPage=article&docId=R3210651142&contentSet=LTO&source=gale |title=Naval and military intelligence |newspaper=[[The Morning Post]] |date=1 September 1899 |page=5 |url-access=subscription  |access-date=23 February 2018 |df=dmy-all}}; {{harvnb|Lyon|2005|p=80}}.</ref>{{refn|''Spiteful''{{'}}s date of [[Ship commissioning|commissioning]] has not been found. The earliest [[Logbook|ship's log]] for ''Spiteful'', held at [[The National Archives (United Kingdom)|The National Archives]] under reference ADM 53/26547, was begun on 24&nbsp;April 1900.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1490898 |title=Spiteful |publisher=The National Archives |year=n.d. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170119112231/http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1490898 |archive-date=19 January 2017 |url-status=live |access-date=19 January 2017 |df=dmy}}</ref>|group=Fn}}

Her design was a development of that for Palmers' {{sclass|Star|destroyer|0}} torpedo boat destroyers, which had been completed between 1897 and 1899, although most changes were minor.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|pp=78–80}} For example, whereas the ''Star''-class ships had three [[Funnel (ship)|funnels]], of which the middle one was more substantial, ''Spiteful'' had four, of which the central two were grouped closely together.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=80}}{{refn|A correspondent to [[The Engineer (UK magazine)|''The Engineer'']] described ''Spiteful'' as having one central funnel that "look[ed] like two bound together".{{sfn|Anon.|1899b|p=430}}|group=Fn}} ''Spiteful''{{'}}s [[length overall]] was {{convert|220|ft|m|1|abbr=off}}, her [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] was {{convert|20|ft|9|in|m|abbr=out|1}} and her [[Draft (hull)|draught]] was {{convert|9|ft|1|in|m|2|abbr=on}}.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|pp=78 & 80}} Her [[light displacement]] was 400&nbsp;[[Long ton|tons]] (406.4&nbsp;[[tonne]]s).{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=80}}

In common with similar Royal Navy ships of the time, ''Spiteful''{{'}}s [[forecastle]] was of the "turtle-back" type with a rounded top: this design was intended to keep the forecastle clear of sea water, but in practice had the adverse effect of digging a ship's [[Bow (ship)|bow]] into the sea when it was rough, thereby making ships lose speed, besides making them "wet and uncomfortable".{{sfn|Cocker|1981|pp=14–18}}{{sfn|Manning|1979|pp=33, 39}}{{refn|The performance of the turtle-back forecastle in heavy weather is shown in a photograph published in 1899 of {{HMS|Banshee|1894|6}}.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|loc=p. 110 (caption)}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gws_hmdestroyer_01.jpg |title=Torpedo boat destroyer HMS Banshee in a rough sea, 1899 |publisher=Wikimedia Commons |year=1899 |access-date=28 December 2016}}</ref> During a heavier storm in the [[Mediterranean Sea]] in 1911, ''Banshee'' "was constantly swept fore and aft by the seas."{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=113}}|group=Fn}} Wetness was mitigated by screening across the rear of the forecastle and around the forward gun position, a raised platform below which was the enclosed [[conning tower]].{{sfn|Manning|1979|p=24}}{{sfn|Lyon|2005|pp=110–112}}{{refn|''Spiteful''{{'}}s plans are at the [[National Maritime Museum]],{{sfn|Lyon|2005|pp=122–123}} and include one "as fitted" of 7&nbsp;January 1901 corrected to 28&nbsp;September 1905.<ref name=1905plan>{{cite web|url=http://images.rmg.co.uk/?service=asset&action=show_zoom_window_popup&language=en&asset=44774&location=grid&asset_list=44774&basket_item_id=undefined |title=Plan of the ship HMS ''Spiteful'' (1899) |publisher=[[Royal Museums Greenwich]] |year=n.d. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170127134425/http://images.rmg.co.uk/?service=asset&action=show_zoom_window_popup&language=en&asset=44774&location=grid&asset_list=44774&basket_item_id=undefined |archive-date=27 January 2017 |url-status=live |access-date=27 January 2017 |df=dmy}}</ref> There the forward gun position is labelled "Bridge". The same plan shows that ''Spiteful'' had three [[ship's wheel]]s: one on the bridge behind the forward gun, one below in the conning tower and one on deck at the [[Stern (ship)|stern]].|group=Fn}} A [[foremast]] stood behind the conning position and was fitted with a [[derrick]].{{sfn|Cocker|1981|p=17}}{{refn|A [[rigging]] plan for a similar ship, {{HMS|Albatross|1898|6}} of 1898, shows her derrick being used to launch a [[Berthon boat]] from her deck.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=101}}|group=Fn}} She was armed with a [[QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval gun|QF 12-pounder gun]] located in the forward gun position; five [[QF 6-pounder Hotchkiss|QF 6-pounder guns]], four of which were arranged along her sides and one located centrally on a raised platform towards her [[Stern (ship)|stern]], as a rear gun; and a pair of {{convert|18|in|mm|adj=on|abbr=off}} [[torpedo tube]]s on a horizontally rotating mount located on deck towards the stern, ahead of the rear gun.{{sfn|Manning|1979|p=45}}{{sfn|Cocker|1981|p=17}}{{sfn|Lyon|2005|pp=98–99}}{{refn|On the plan for ''Spiteful'' corrected to 28&nbsp;September 1905, one QF 6-pounder gun is mounted on each side of the deck in a position between the QF 12-pounder forward gun and the foremast, a third is mounted on the port side slightly forward of the central pair of funnels, and a fourth is mounted on the starboard side slightly aft of the after funnel. The rear QF 6-pounder gun is on a raised mount and is provided with a circular firing platform about {{convert|2|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} above the level of the deck, accessed by two short ladders. The plan shows that this gun formerly had a simple, flat shield, which has been removed. On the same plan, a single torpedo tube is mounted in the rear position and a second one is mounted forward of the rear funnel.<ref name=1905plan /> This arrangement is similar to that adopted for earlier torpedo boat destroyers, for example {{HMS|Haughty|1895|6}}, launched in 1895.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=82}}|group=Fn}} The crew numbered 63&nbsp;officers and men, for whom the accommodation on this type of ship was "very cramped; usually the captain had a small cabin but&nbsp;... other officers lived in the wardroom."{{sfn|Manning|1979|pp=34, 45}}{{refn|Sources do not specify the number of ''Spiteful''{{'}}s crew directly: {{harvnb|Manning|1979|p=45}}, gives details of five torpedo boat destroyers built by Palmers between 1898 and 1901, including ''Spiteful'', as a group, and says that they all had a crew of&nbsp;63. That these ships' details varied can be seen by comparison with {{harvnb|Lyon|2005|loc=esp. p. 80}}. However the number of 63&nbsp;for ''Spiteful''{{'}}s crew is given further indirect support in {{harvnb|Lyon|2005|p=32}}, where it is reported that the number of crew proposed for {{HMS|Cobra|1899|6}} in 1901 was "twenty-one men more than for a 30-knotter giving a total complement of eighty-four".|group=Fn}} The remainder of the crew slept in [[hammock]]s.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=106}}{{refn| On the plan of 1901, corrected to 28 September 1905, the cabin for ''Spiteful''{{'}}s captain is at the stern, forward only of a storeroom for provisions. The [[wardroom]] is forward of the cabin and separated from it by a lavatory, for washing only, and pantry: a small toilet compartment is in the rear, [[Port and starboard|port]] corner of the wardroom, which also contains three "bedplaces" and wardrobes and a [[secretaire]]. Immediately forward of the latter is a [[mess]] for [[engine room artificer]]s on the port side and [[chief petty officer]]s on the starboard. A mess for other ranks is in the forecastle, with lockers for stowing hammocks.<ref name=1905plan />|group=Fn}} As ordered ''Spiteful'' probably carried four boats, comprising a [[Captain's gig|gig]], a [[dinghy]] and two [[Lifeboat (shipboard)|lifeboats]] of the [[Berthon boat|Berthon]] type.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=101}}{{refn|On the plan of 1901, corrected to 28&nbsp;September 1905, ''Spiteful'' is shown as having two Berthon boats {{convert|20|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} long, one each side of the forward funnel, a [[Whaler (boat)|whaler]] {{convert|25|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} long carried on [[davit]]s on the port side and astern of the rear funnel, and a dinghy {{convert|13|ft|6|in|m|1|abbr=on}} long carried similarly but on the starboard side. The plan also states that 56&nbsp;[[lifebelt]]s are carried.<ref name=1905plan />|group=Fn}}

Admiralty specifications in force at the time of her construction required that she should be able to steam at 30&nbsp;[[Knot (unit)|knots]], and from this she was one of a group of torpedo boat destroyers known informally as "30-knotters".{{sfn|Manning|1979|pp=39–46}} ''Spiteful''{{'}}s propulsion was through two [[propeller]]s, each driven by one of two [[triple expansion steam engine]]s that were powered by four coal-fired [[Reed water tube boiler]]s operated at 250&nbsp;[[Pound per square inch|pounds per square inch]] (1,724&nbsp;[[kilopascal]]s) and could produce {{convert|6300|hp|0|abbr=on}} [[Horsepower#Indicated horsepower|indicated horsepower]]&nbsp;(IHP).<ref>{{harvnb|Lyon|2005|pp=78 & 80}}; {{harvnb|Office of Naval Intelligence|1900|p=42}}; {{harvnb|Anon.|1899c|p=514}}; {{harvnb|Office of Naval Intelligence|1900|p=42}}.</ref>{{refn|Since the propellers projected significantly beyond either side of ''Spiteful''{{'}}s stern, as they did in other ships of her type, propeller guards were fitted at the height of the [[Strake|rubbing strake]]:<ref name=1905plan /> compare ships' plans at {{harvnb|Lyon|2005|loc=e.g. p.&nbsp;22}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Palmers_Reed_boiler.jpg |title=Palmers Reed boiler |publisher=WikiMedia Commons |year=1900 |access-date=9 February 2017}}</ref> A triple expansion engine built by Palmers and of the type used in ''Spiteful'' is illustrated at {{harvnb|Dillon|1900|p=33}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Palmers_triple_expansion_engine.jpg |title=Palmers triple expansion engine |publisher=WikiMedia Commons |year=1900 |access-date=9 February 2017}}</ref>|group=Fn}} In ships of her type the boilers were installed in a line fore-and-aft and in pairs, so that in each pair the furnace doors faced each other: thus one group of [[Stoker (occupation)|stokers]] could tend two boilers simultaneously, and only two [[Fire room|boiler rooms]], also known as stokeholds, were required.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=106}}{{refn|The arrangement of the boilers was reflected in that of the funnels:<ref name=1905plan /> compare the plan for {{HMS|Arab|1901|6}} and its caption at {{harvnb|Lyon|2005|pp=28–29}}. A stoker could be a [[Fireman (steam engine)|fireman]] feeding a boiler with coal or a [[Coal trimmer|trimmer]] extracting coal from a [[Coal bin|bunker]] and delivering it to the fireman.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=32}} In 1901, in connection with HMS ''Cobra'', it was assumed that a fireman would move about 18&nbsp;[[Hundredweight|cwt]] (914&nbsp;kg) of coal per hour, and a trimmer about 30&nbsp;cwt (1.52&nbsp;t).{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=32}}|group=Fn}} In [[sea trial]]s it was found that, when run at 29.9&nbsp;knots, she consumed {{convert|2.3|lb|kg|0|abbr=off}} of coal per IHP per hour, which was considered low, and a speed of 30.371&nbsp;knots was "easily maintained".{{sfn|Office of Naval Intelligence|1900|p=42}}{{refn|In this trial "it was desired to keep the speed as little in excess of 30&nbsp;knots as possible."{{sfn|Office of Naval Intelligence|1900|p=42}}|group=Fn}} At 13.05&nbsp;knots it was found that her capacity of about 91&nbsp;tons (92.5&nbsp;tonnes) of coal, consumed at a rate of {{convert|1.5|lb|kg|1}} per IHP per hour, gave her a steaming range of about 4,000&nbsp;[[nautical mile]]s.{{sfn|Brassey|1902|p=275}}{{sfn|Office of Naval Intelligence|1900|p=42}}{{refn|This is not an unrealistic figure: the [[radius of action]] for a similar ship, {{HMS|Ardent|1894|6}} of 1894, was given as 2,750&nbsp;nautical miles at 13&nbsp;knots.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=44}} However, while {{harvnb|Brassey|1902|p=275}}, reported both ''Spiteful'' and ''Peterel''{{'}}s coal capacity to be 91&nbsp;tons, the US Office of Naval Intelligence reported ''Spiteful''{{'}}s to be "about 116&nbsp;tons": presumably these are US "[[short ton]]s", giving an equivalent of 103.6&nbsp;tons (105.2&nbsp;tonnes).{{sfn|Office of Naval Intelligence|1900|p=42}} ''Spiteful''{{'}}s [[Commander (Royal Navy)|Commander]] [[Douglas Nicholson]] wrote on 7&nbsp;August 1901 that, whereas the [[Steam turbine|turbine]]-powered {{HMS|Viper|1899|6}} had consumed on average 6&nbsp;tons (6.1&nbsp;tonnes) of coal per hour steaming at an average of 22&nbsp;knots from [[Portland Harbour|Portland harbour]] to [[the Lizard]] and back, with a "slight sweep towards the French coast&nbsp;[...,] ''Spiteful'' could have done the same thing at almost the same speed with an average of 2&nbsp;tons an hour."{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=31}} However {{harvnb|Lyon|2005|p=31}}, considers this estimate of ''Spiteful''{{'}}s performance to be exaggerated. The nature of the information reported for the sea trials may be compared with the conditions of [[Procurement|tendering]] for 30-knotters issued by the Admiralty in March 1895: see {{harvnb|Lyon|2005|p=23}}. A port-side-view line drawing of ''Spiteful'' as she was in 1912, useful for interpreting the arrangement of many of the ship's external features, is at {{harvnb|Lyon|2005|p=79}}.|group=Fn}}

Torpedo boat destroyers of the 30-knotter specification featured watertight [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkheads]] that enabled them to remain afloat despite damage to their [[Hull (watercraft)|hulls]], which were thin and lightly built for speed.{{sfn|Manning|1979|p=39}}{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=16}} Conversely the thinness of their hulls meant that they were easily damaged by stormy seas and careless handling.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|pp=16, 112–113}}{{sfn|Manning|1979|p=39}} Those that were based in British ports, as ''Spiteful'' was, were originally painted black overall, but they would have been painted grey by about 1916, from which point they would also have had their [[Pennant number|pendant numbers]] painted on their bows.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|pp=107–109}}{{sfn|Manning|1979|p=34}}{{refn|''Spiteful''{{'}}s pendant number until 1915 was P&nbsp;73, after which it was D&nbsp;91 until 1918, when it was changed again to D&nbsp;76.<ref name=Arrowsmith>{{cite web|url=http://www.gwpda.org/naval/s0420000.htm |title='Arrowsmith' List: Royal Navy WWI Destroyer Pendant Numbers |publisher=www.gwpda.org |year=1997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305151626/http://gwpda.org/naval/s0420000.htm |archive-date=5 March 2016 |url-status=live |access-date=4 December 2016 |df=dmy}}</ref>|group=Fn}} ''Spiteful'' and her [[sister ship]] {{HMS|Peterel|1899|2}}, also built by Palmers and launched later the same year, formed the {{sclass|Spiteful|destroyer|4}}.{{sfn|Manning|1979|p=45}}{{sfn|Gardiner|1979|p=96}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://battleships-cruisers.co.uk/destroyers_before_1900.htm |title=Destroyers before 1900 |publisher=battleships-cruisers.co.uk |year=n.d. |access-date=30 November 2016 |df=dmy}}</ref>{{refn|Classification of torpedo boat destroyers (TBDs) before 1913 appears to have been ''[[ad hoc]]'': {{nowrap|"[t]here}} were at least occasions when some at least of the TBDs were referred to in classes designated by a ship's name. W.&nbsp;H.&nbsp;White referred in&nbsp;... 1893 to the {{'}}''Boxer'' Class' when he could be referring either to Thornycroft's {{nowrap|27-knotters}} or to the first order for {{nowrap|27-knotters}}, or to all the {{nowrap|27-knotters}}. To confuse matters,&nbsp;... at least some of the {{nowrap|27-knotters}} were referred to as the ''Ardent'' class (an exact sister of ''Boxer''!)&nbsp;... For the {{nowrap|30-knotters}} there is a general reference to all the first TBDs&nbsp;... as the ''Desperate'' class. However there is also a reference to separate&nbsp;... classes."{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=9}}|group=Fn}}

At the time of their construction a specification of 30&nbsp;knots made for a fast warship, but:

{{Blockquote|[t]here seems to have been little rational discussion of why high speed was necessary&nbsp;... Speed was seen as a good thing in itself. It became a subject for international competition. The specialist torpedo boat firms all competed for the fastest speed on water.&nbsp;... [However] very few of the "30-knotters" could make more than about 26&nbsp;knots, if that, in service and this was only in calm conditions.|author=D. Lyon |title=''The First Destroyers'', 2005{{sfn|Lyon|2005|pp=15–16}}{{refn|The reason for the emphasis on speed and lightness was further illustrated somewhat later when, {{nowrap|"[i]n}} 1912, [Admiral] Fisher wrote to [Winston] Churchill, 'What you do want is the super-swift&nbsp;– all [fuelled by] oil&nbsp;– and don't fiddle about armour; it really is so very silly! There is only one defence and that is speed!{{' "}}{{sfn|Dahl|2001|p=52}} But in sea trials for these ships {{nowrap|"[s]pecial}} courses were used, which later research would show were exactly the right depth to produce an enhanced and unrealistic top speed. Trials were run in calm water, with specially trained crews of stokers and, literally, hand-picked coal. Very often&nbsp;... the strain on the machinery [was] so great that there was permanent damage."{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=16}} And [[Director of Naval Construction]] [[William Henry White|W.H. White]] had previously noted in 1897 that "the limit of speed attainable is very commonly fixed by the condition of the sea rather than by the power available in vessels."{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=24}}|group=Fn}}}}

Otherwise,

{{blockquote|[t]he best advertisement for [the 30-knotters] lay in the fact that they were worked very hard during [the First World War] and, though most of them were twenty years old by 1919, they remained efficient. This [also] speaks well for their builders&nbsp;...|author=T.D. Manning |title=''The British Destroyer'', 1961{{sfn|Manning|1979|p=39}}}}

These builders were all private British enterprises that had previously specialised in building [[torpedo boat]]s, and, regarding their designs for 30-knotters, it was specified that they should be given {{nowrap|"[a]s}} free a hand as possible".{{sfn|Lyon|2005|pp=14, 23}} In 1996 David Lyon, curator of ships’ plans at the [[National Maritime Museum]], wrote that Palmers' torpedo boat destroyers in particular "eventually would, by common consent, be considered the best all-rounders of all".{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=77}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://snr.org.uk/obituary-david-lyon/ |last=Grove |first=E. |title=Obituary: David Lyon |publisher=The Society for Nautical Research |date=August 2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228124521/http://snr.org.uk/obituary-david-lyon/ |archive-date=28 December 2016 |url-status=live |df=dmy |access-date=28 December 2016 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==Service history==
[[File:HMS Spiteful collides with barge Preciosa 1905.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A contemporary artist's impression of the collision between Spiteful and the barge Preciosa in 1905|A contemporary [[artist's impression]] of the collision between ''Spiteful'' and the barge ''Preciosa'' on 4&nbsp;April 1905: two of ''Preciosa''{{'}}s crew died.]]
''Spiteful'' always served within the vicinity of the [[British Isles]].{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=80}}{{sfn|Manning|1979|p=45}}{{refn|In 1891 [[John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher|John Fisher]], who was then [[Third Sea Lord]], wrote that the Royal Navy's "real line of defence [lay] on the French side of the [English] Channel".{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=14}}|group=Fn}} From 10&nbsp;July to 3&nbsp;August 1900 she was engaged in a [[naval exercise]] conducted in the [[Irish Sea]], during which she was deemed to have been put out of action.{{sfn|Office of Naval Intelligence|1901|loc=pp. 363–396, esp. p. 376}}{{refn|The naval exercise of 1900 is described and discussed in detail at {{harvnb|Thursfield|1901|p=}}.|group=Fn}} From 11&nbsp;January 1901 to 24&nbsp;February 1902 at the latest she was captained by Commander [[Douglas Nicholson]], who later became a [[vice admiral]].<ref>{{Cite news |newspaper=[[The Times]] |title=Naval and military intelligence |date=1 January 1901 |df=dmy |page=12 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/tto/archive/article/1901-01-01/12/2.html |url-access=subscription  |access-date=3 December 2016 }}</ref><ref><!-- This ref is for Nicholson's status as vice admiral: if you find a better source please cite it instead! -->{{cite web|url=https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20809/lot/290/ |title=Seven to Admiral Sir D.R.L. Nicholson, Royal Navy |publisher=Bonhams |year=2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161203204420/https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20809/lot/290/ |archive-date=3 December 2016 |url-status=live |access-date=3 December 2016 |df=dmy}}</ref> In February 1901 she ran aground near the [[Isle of Wight]], damaging her propellers, and was taken to Portsmouth dockyard for overhaul.<ref>{{Cite news |newspaper=[[The Times]] |title=Naval and military intelligence |date=5 March 1901 |df=dmy |page=8 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/tto/archive/article/1901-03-05/8/4.html |url-access=subscription  |access-date=25 November 2016 }}</ref> On 23&nbsp;October the same year, while off the north-eastern coast of England, she had a collision with her sister ship ''Peterel'', in which her [[Stem (ship)|stem]] was twisted and her bow "partly torn away".{{sfn|Office of Naval Intelligence|1902|p=78}}{{refn|The US [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] reported that ''Spiteful'' collided with a ship named "''Petrel''" while on service with the "reserve fleet".{{sfn|Office of Naval Intelligence|1902|p=78}} While there was no Royal Navy ship named ''Petrel'', this is clearly an error for "''Peterel''": compare {{harvnb|Office of Naval Intelligence|1900|p=42}}. The [[Reserve Fleet (United Kingdom)|Reserve Fleet]] consisted of ships not in active service. Nicholson was similarly unfortunate in his next command, of {{HMS|Dove|1898|6}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/tto/archive/article/1902-06-11/13/2.html |title=Naval and military intelligence |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=11 June 1902 |df=dmy |page=13 |url-access=subscription  |access-date=3 December 2016}}</ref>|group=Fn}}
On 4 April 1905, while steaming at 22&nbsp;knots near [[Yarmouth, Isle of Wight|Yarmouth]] on the Isle of Wight, she collided with the [[barge]] ''Preciosa'', which was carrying bags of [[Portland cement|cement]].<ref name=1905collision>{{Cite news|newspaper=[[The Times]] |title=HMS Spiteful in collision |date=5 April 1905 |df=dmy |page=8 |url=https://account.thetimes.co.uk/login?state=hKFo2SA3dnFKYmhUa3dDb1ZtQzVFTXBCZW8xVXYtT3l2Y2FaM6FupWxvZ2luo3RpZNkgLTJtclFaUlAtZGtLYU5BNGc4MV8xT2IxdlpuTFlKQTmjY2lk2SBEbXNVM0JCbXltb1VYT1JuWG9xcXJxaUJMTEtJNkl2Sg&client=DmsU3BBmymoUXORnXoqqrqiBLLKI6IvJ&protocol=oauth2&prompt=login&scope=openid%20profile%20email&response_type=code&nustate=eyJyZXR1cm5fdXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhldGltZXMuY29tL3R0by9hcmNoaXZlL2FydGljbGUvMTkwNS0wNC0wNS84LzMuaHRtbCIsImRvbWFpbk5hbWUiOiJ3d3cudGhldGltZXMuY29tIn0%3D&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Flogin.thetimes.com%2Foidc%2Frp%2Fcallback |url-access=subscription  |access-date=16 January 2017}}</ref> Damage to ''Spiteful''{{'}}s bow and forward [[superstructure]] was severe, but that damage was not greater was attributed to her "light build"; one of ''Spiteful''{{'}}s crew was slightly injured, but the barge sank and two of her crew drowned.<ref name=1905collision />{{sfn|Anon.|1905|p=555}}{{refn|The collision occurred while ''Spiteful'' was undergoing trials in the use of [[fuel oil]]. The drowned men were the barge's [[Skipper (boating)|skipper]] Thomas Daniels and her cook James Balderson.<ref name=1905collision /> At the time of the collision the ship's captain, [[Lieutenant commander (Royal Navy)|Lieutenant Commander]] Abbott, was below deck having left [[Sub-lieutenant|Sub-Lieutenant]] G.&nbsp;T. Saundby in charge. After a [[Court-martial|court martial]] Saundby was "deprived of six months' seniority and dismissed [from] his ship."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://find.galegroup.com/bncn/infomark.do?docType=LTO&docLevel=FASCIMILE&prodId=BNCN&tabID=T012&type=multipage&version=1.0&retrieveFormat=MULTIPAGE_DOCUMENT&userGroupName=soas&docPage=article&docId=BA3207733645&contentSet=LTO&source=gale |title=The destroyer ''Spiteful'' leaps across the deck of the ketch ''Preciosa'': A thrilling moment |newspaper=[[The Penny Illustrated Paper and Illustrated Times]] |date=22 April 1905 |page=247 |url-access=subscription  |access-date=23 February 2018 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> |group=Fn}} On 5&nbsp;August 1907, while she was raising steam at [[Cowes]] on the Isle of Wight, [[fuel oil]] was released under pressure from a disconnected burner, causing flames to fill the rear boiler room: two members of the crew were killed and two were injured.{{sfn|Anon.|1907a|pp=1097–1098}}{{sfn|Anon.|1907b|p=55}}{{sfn|Anon.|1908a|p=368}}{{refn|The two crew members killed were [[petty officer]] stoker George Stubbs, of Portsmouth, and first class stoker Alfred Dunn, of [[Bristol]]; first class stoker Ernest Edwin Westbrook was severely injured, but later reported to be recovering, and engine room artificer William Frederick Buckland was slightly injured. The ship had been inspected by King [[Edward VII]] on the preceding Saturday.<ref name=fire>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/tto/archive/article/1907-08-07/8/7.html |title=Naval and military intelligence |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=7 August 1907 |df=dmy |page=8 |url-access=subscription  |access-date=11 December 2016}}</ref>|group=Fn}} The [[Magazine (artillery)|magazines]] were flooded to protect them from the fire and, although it caused no structural damage, ''Spiteful'' was later towed to Portsmouth for inspection.<ref name=fire /> She was part of the Portsmouth [[flotilla]] of the [[Home Fleet]] at the time.<ref name=fire /> The event prompted the Admiralty to issue new instructions on the handling of fuel oil in its ships, particularly after [[Maintenance, repair, and operations|overhaul]].{{sfn|Anon.|1908a|p=368}}

[[File:Contemporary model of HMS Spiteful (1899).jpg|thumb|alt=refer to caption|A model of HMS ''Spiteful'', built in about 1904: whereas the model has three [[Funnel (ship)|funnels]], the ship had four, with the central two grouped as a pair.]]
In 1913 ''Spiteful'' was classified as a {{Sclass2|B|destroyer|||1913}}.{{sfn|Anon.|1913|p=450}}{{sfn|Manning|1979|p=45}} From June 1914, one month before the outbreak of the [[World War I|First World War]], the Royal Navy's ''[[Navy List]]'' records that she was based at Portsmouth as a [[Ship's tender|tender]] for [[HMS Vernon (shore establishment)|HMS ''Vernon'']], the Admiralty's [[torpedo]] training school: her "Chief Artificer Engineer" was based there, rather than on board.{{sfn|Admiralty|1914a|p=376}}{{refn|The Royal Navy rank of Chief Artificer Engineer was created by an Admiralty Order in Council of 28&nbsp;March 1903 as a rank senior to that of [[Engine Room Artificer|Artificer Engineer]] and of the same seniority as those of Chief Gunners, Chief Boatswains and Chief Carpenters.{{sfn|Admiralty|1908|pp=25–26}} At the time of its creation, the rank of Chief Artificer Engineer was limited to 44&nbsp;personnel for one year, after which they were to number no more than a third of the combined total of themselves and Artificer Engineers. Engineering ranks in the Royal Navy in 1914 are discussed in detail in {{harvnb|Anon.|1914|pp=583–589}}, but the rank of Chief Artificer Engineer does not appear explicitly.|group=Fn}} From August 1914 she was listed as still based at Portsmouth, but no longer as a tender for ''Vernon'', although her chief artificer engineer remained there.{{sfn|Admiralty|1914b|loc=p. 381a}} From June 1915 she was listed as part of the Portsmouth Local Defence Flotilla.{{sfn|Admiralty|1915|p=17}} On 6&nbsp;September 1916 she sighted a [[Imperial German Navy|German]] [[submarine]] off [[Cape Barfleur]], in the [[English Channel]], forcing it to dive.{{sfn|Newbolt|1928|p=335}} On 18&nbsp;January 1917 ''Spiteful'' was despatched from Portsmouth with three other destroyers to go to the aid of {{HMS|Ferret|1911|6}}, another destroyer that had been disabled by an enemy torpedo while hunting German submarines in mid-Channel south-east of the Isle of Wight; ''Ferret'' was recovered to Portsmouth.{{sfn|Admiralty|1933|p=150}}{{refn|Besides ''Spiteful'', the destroyers despatched from Portsmouth were {{HMS|Druid|1911|6}}, {{HMS|Hind|1911|6}} and {{HMS|Sandfly|1911|6}}: ''Ferret'' was also based at Portsmouth, and was towed there by ''Druid''.{{sfn|Admiralty|1933|p=150}}|group=Fn}} On 27&nbsp;August 1917 ''Spiteful'' was reported entering [[Lough Swilly]], in north-western [[Ireland]], along with destroyers {{HMS|Fawn|1897|2}}, {{HMS|Wolf|1897|2}} and {{HMS|Violet|1897|2}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.naval-history.net/OWShips-WW1-08-HMS_Virginian.htm |title=HMS ''Virginian'' – December 1914 to November 1918, Northern Patrol (10th Cruiser Squadron), North Atlantic convoys |work=Royal Navy Log Books of the World War 1 Era |editor-last=Fisher |editor-first=J. |year=2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317021631/https://www.naval-history.net/OWShips-WW1-08-HMS_Virginian.htm |url-status=live |archive-date=17 March 2016 |access-date=24 October 2018 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> From May to December 1918, by which time the war had ended, ''Spiteful'' was again listed as part of the Portsmouth Local Defence Flotilla, but also as a tender for "[[HMNB Portsmouth#Associated establishments in the Portsmouth area|HMS ''Victory'']]", as Portsmouth Naval Barracks were named at the time.{{sfn|Admiralty|1918a|p=28}}{{sfn|Admiralty|1918b|p=16}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/UKRNMainBases.htm |title=Main Bases, Training Schools and RN Air Stations |publisher=www.mariners-l.co.uk |year=2002 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170308220241/http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/UKRNMainBases.htm |archive-date=8 March 2017 |url-status=live |access-date=8 March 2017 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> From January to April 1919 she was listed only as based at Portsmouth, but in May that year she was listed as being based there without an officer in command.{{sfn|Admiralty|1919a|p=910}}{{sfn|Admiralty|1919b|p=910}}{{sfn|Admiralty|1919c|p=910}}{{refn|A supplement of January 1919 lists her among vessels at their home port of Portsmouth "temporarily".{{sfn|Admiralty|1919d|p=20}} Later in 1919 similar ships were listed as [[Ship commissioning#Ship decommissioning|paid off]], for example in the ''Navy List'' for July, but ''Spiteful'' was not among them.{{sfn|Admiralty|1919e|p=20}}|group=Fn}} She did not appear in the ''Navy List'' again until January 1920, when she was listed as "To Be Sold".{{sfn|Admiralty|1920|loc=p. 1105f}} This occurred on 14&nbsp;September 1920, and she was [[Ship breaking|broken up]] at Hayes' yard, [[Porthcawl]].{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=80}}<ref name=Arrowsmith />{{sfn|Gardiner|1979|p=96}}

==Fuel oil==

''Spiteful'' was instrumental in the Royal Navy's adoption of [[fuel oil]] as a source of power in place of coal. Her boilers were modified to burn only fuel oil as part of ongoing experiments and, on {{nowrap|7–8 December}} 1904, "vitally important" comparative trials were carried out near the Isle of Wight with ''Spiteful''{{'}}s sister ship ''Peterel'' burning coal, in which ''Spiteful'' performed significantly better.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=97}}{{sfn|Brassey|1905|p=449}}{{sfn|Bertin|1906|p=167}}{{refn|''Spiteful'' and other 30-knotter torpedo boat destroyers ordered by the Admiralty at about the same time already incorporated {{nowrap|"[a]rrangements ...}} for burning oil only or oil and coal together."{{sfn|Lyon|2005|pp=24–25}}|group=Fn}} Problems with the production of smoke were surmounted so that using oil produced no more smoke than coal, and it was found that the ship's crew could be reduced, since fewer were required in the boiler rooms.{{sfn|Anon.|1904b|p=27}}{{refn|Lower production of smoke made a ship less visible to an enemy.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/3671962/John-McCain-Extraordinary-foresight-made-Winston-Churchill-great.html |last=McCain |first=J. |author-link=John McCain |title=John McCain: Extraordinary foresight made Winston Churchill great |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=20 March 2008 |access-date=6 February 2017}}</ref> {{nowrap|"[F]laming}} at the funnels [was] a constant menace" in revealing a ship's position at night, but the Admiralty aimed to prevent this in its torpedo boat destroyers through its specifications for them from November 1898.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=25}}|group=Fn}} Whereas ''Peterel'' required six stokers during the trials, ''Spiteful'' required only three boiler-room crew; while ''Peterel''{{'}}s crew had to dispose of 1.5&nbsp;tons (1.52&nbsp;tonnes) of [[Bottom ash|ash]] and [[Clinker (waste)|clinker]], ''Spiteful'' produced no such waste.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=97}}{{refn|Marine "ash ejectors" were developed and adopted in the early 20th century, allowing ash and clinker to be ejected directly from a boiler room, but this waste was fed into them manually.{{sfn|Anon.|1914|pp=1342–1344}}{{sfn|Sothern|1917|pp=148–149}} For example, See's ash ejector, which was patented at the [[United States Patent Office]] in 1901, required {{nowrap|"[t]he}} ashes to be ejected [to be] thrown in any suitable way into [a] hopper".<ref>{{cite patent |country=US |number=674021 |status=patent |title=Ash-ejector |pubdate=1901-05-14 |gdate=1901-05-14 |fdate=1901-01-25 |inventor=See, H. |url=https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pdfs/effdd14c4e9497c1c28e/US674021.pdf}}.</ref> If ''Spiteful'' had been fitted with ash ejection systems at any time, they are not shown on the plan "as fitted" of 7&nbsp;January 1901, corrected to 28&nbsp;September 1905, by which time she was oil-fired.<ref name=1905plan />|group=Fn}} Further, while ''Peterel'' took 1.5&nbsp;hours to prepare for steaming, ''Spiteful'' took 10&nbsp;minutes.{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=97}} In June 1906, the journal ''[[Scientific American]]'' journal reported that ''Spiteful'' was being used by the Admiralty to train engine-room crews in the operation of oil-burning equipment.{{sfn|Anon.|1906|p=491}}

That a navy's reliance on coal entailed problems of logistics and strategy was understood well before the trials took place:

{{Blockquote|We have, at sea, command of very high speeds, but we pay a ruinous price for the luxury. [At a chosen] speed we can steam long distances, but if we are hustled, we draw heavily on [that ability]. A fleet with many coal bases can&nbsp;… hustle another into inability to [choose its destination]&nbsp;– we can&nbsp;… head off [a] fleet from astern. This limitation of distance capacity, [and] invisible control over the destination of an enemy,&nbsp;… gives a new meaning to the word "blockade"&nbsp;… That coal can be carried with a fleet and distributed under certain conditions is obvious, [but] to place reliance on [it] is out of the question.|author=[[Reginald Bacon|R.H.S. Bacon]] |title="Some notes on naval strategy", 1901{{sfn|Bacon|1901|p=246}}{{refn|"Moving [coal] from shore to ship, and aboard ship, was dirty and strenuous work that required extensive man-power. As Churchill noted, 'the ordeal of coaling ship exhausted the whole ship's company. In wartime it robbed them of their brief period of rest; it subjected everyone to extreme discomfort.' It was virtually impossible to refuel at sea, meaning that a quarter of the fleet might be forced to put into harbor {{sic}} coaling at any one time. Providing the fleet with coal was the greatest logistical headache of the age."{{sfn|Dahl|2001|p=51}}|group=Fn}}}}

Thus Bacon argued that a navy reliant on coal must have a "coal strategy".{{sfn|Bacon|1901|p=246}} Using fuel oil instead removed this strategic limitation and offered significant advantages:

{{Blockquote|[Oil] had double the thermal content of coal so that boilers could be smaller and ships could travel twice as far. Greater speed was possible and oil burned with less smoke so the fleet would not reveal its presence as quickly. Oil could be stored in tanks anywhere, allowing more efficient design of ships, and it could be transferred through pipes without reliance on stokers, reducing manning. Refueling <nowiki>[</nowiki>''[[sic]]''] at sea was feasible, which provided greater flexibility.|author=E.J. Dahl |title="Naval innovation: From coal to oil", 2000{{sfn|Dahl|2001|p=51}}}}

In addition, construction costs for an oil-powered warship were lower by an average of 12.4%&nbsp;– a destroyer would be cheaper by a third&nbsp;– and carrying oil instead of coal meant that a warship's armaments and armour could be heavier.{{sfn|Winegard|2016|p=49}}{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=104}}

Although the trials of 1904 proved the superiority of fuel oil over coal in powering warships, they did not lead to the immediate abandonment of coal as a source of power by the Royal Navy. While Britain's internal supply of coal was plentiful, it had no such supply of oil, either domestically or within its [[British Empire|empire]].{{sfn|Siegel|2002|p=180}} [[William Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne|William Palmer]], who was [[List of the First Lords of the Admiralty|First Lord of the Admiralty]] in 1904, regarded a change to oil as "impossible", for reasons of availability.{{sfn|Dahl|2001|pp=51–52}}{{refn|The oil used in ''Spiteful''{{'}}s trials was from [[Texas]], in the [[United States]].{{sfn|Lyon|2005|p=97}}|group=Fn}} This took time to overcome, but it was achieved through [[History of the foreign relations of the United Kingdom|foreign policy]] and government activity in the oil market, beginning with the [[Royal Commission on Fuel and Engines]] of 1912. This was established by [[Winston Churchill]], who was First Lord of the Admiralty at the time.{{sfn|Siegel|2002|pp=178–184}} The Navy committed itself to change in the same year, when all of the ships that it set out to procure were designed to use fuel oil.{{sfn|Siegel|2002|p=181}}{{refn|Some coal-burning ships continued to be built for the Navy: [[Revenge-class battleship|''Revenge''-class battleships]] built in 1913 were so designed, because of continuing uncertainty over supplies of oil and their cost implications, but their design was changed to burn oil during construction, after the outbreak of the First World War.{{sfn|Brown2003|pp=105–106}}|group=Fn}}

==References==

===Footnotes===
{{reflist|group=Fn}}

===Notes===
{{reflist|30em}}

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{{B class destroyer (1913)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spiteful (1899)}}
[[Category:B-class destroyers (1913)]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Tyne]]
[[Category:1899 ships]]
[[Category:World War I destroyers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Spiteful-class destroyers]]