Three Janus-class torpedo-boat destroyers (TBDs) served with the Royal Navy. Janus, Lightning and Porcupine were ordered under the 1893-94 Programme, all laid down on 28 March 1894 at Palmer's shipyard at Jarrow and launched during 1895. They displaced 275 tons (light), were 204 feet 6 inches (62.33 m) long and produced 3,900 hp (2,900 kW) from their Reed water tube boilers which gave them a top speed of 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph).
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Janus class |
| Builders | Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company, Jarrow |
| Operators |  Royal Navy |
| Preceded by | Hardy class |
| Succeeded by | Salmon class |
| Built | 1895 |
| In commission | 1895–1920 |
| Completed | 3 |
| Lost | 1 |
| Retired | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Torpedo Boat Destroyer |
| Displacement | 275 long tons (279 t) |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 19 feet 9 inches (6.02 m) |
| Draught | 8 feet (2.4 m) |
| Propulsion | Reed boilers, 3,900 hp (2,908 kW) |
| Speed | 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) |
Under the 1893–1894 Naval Estimates, the British Admiralty placed orders for 36 torpedo-boat destroyers, all to be capable of 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph), the "27-knotters", as a follow-on to the six prototype "26-knotters" ordered in the previous 1892–1893 Estimates. As was typical for torpedo craft at the time, the Admiralty left detailed design to the builders, laying down only broad requirements.[1][2]
In September 1913 the Admiralty re-classed all the remaining 27-knotter destroyers, including all three Janus-class vessels, as A Class destroyers.
Bibliography
edit- Chesneau, Roger & Kolesnik, Eugene M., eds. (1979). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-133-5.
- 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.
- Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the Second World War. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-049-9.
- Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
- Lyon, David (2001) [1996]. The First Destroyers. London: Caxton Editions. ISBN 1-84067-364-8.
- Manning, T. D. (1961). The British Destroyer. Putnam & Co. OCLC 6470051.
- March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans. London: Seeley Service. OCLC 164893555.