HMS Hornet (1893)

In April 1892, the British Admiralty sent out a request to several shipbuilders for designs and tenders for "large sea going torpedo boats", or what later became known as "torpedo boat destroyers".^[7][8] In July 1892, it was decided to place an order with the two specialised torpedo-boat builders, Yarrows and Thornycroft for two ships each, with Yarrows' two ships named Havock and Hornet. While both Yarrow ships were powered by triple-expansion steam engines driving two shafts, they differed in the boilers used, with Havock using 2 conventional locomotive-type fire-tube boilers while Hornet used 8 Yarrow water tube boilers. (This resulted in Havock having 2 funnels while Hornet was fitted with 4 funnels).^[9] Gun armament consisted of a single 12 pounder (3 in (76 mm)) gun, three 6 pounder (57 mm) guns, while torpedo armament consisted of three 18 in (450 mm) torpedo tubes, with one fixed bow tube and two deck mounted tubes,^[2] with the two deck-mounted tubes in a single rotating mounting, pointing in opposite directions, so that enemies on either beam could be attacked at the same time.^[10]

Hornet was laid down at Yarrow's Poplar, London yard on 1 July 1892.^[1] Hornet's water tube boilers meant that it took longer to build than Havock, launching on 23 December 1893 and completed in July 1894.^[2] The ship's performance during trials was generally successful, with only slight vibration noted and the ship steering well,^[11] and an average speed of 27.6 knots (51.1 km/h; 31.8 mph) being made over a three-hour trial.^{[4][12][Note 2]}

Hornet served almost all her service life in Home waters, although she did serve briefly in the Mediterranean in 1900.^[3] Hornet's bow structure was strengthened in 1901.^[14] While the bow torpedo tube was found to be of little use, as it adversely affected seakeeping and restricted space forward, with fears that the ship could over-run a torpedo fired from the bow tube,^[15][16] Hornet retained the bow tube, while the two deck mounted tubes were removed by 1902.^[2][17] In February 1902 she was ordered to replace Zebra as tender to Wildfire, special service vessel, for duties in connection with the Sheerness School of Gunnery.^[18] She took part in the Coronation Review for King Edward VII on 16 August 1902, with Lieutenant W. B. W. Grubb temporarily in command from 8 August.^[19] In late October 1902 she was at Sheerness dockyard for a refit.^[20]

A survey in February 1909 found that Hornet's hull was in poor condition, with buckling of the hull plating and estimated repair costs of £4,050.^[21] She was sold on 12 October 1909 for scrapping.^[3]