Two Fervent-class destroyers served with the Royal Navy. HMS Fervent and HMS Zephyr were designed and built by Hanna Donald in 1895. The ships displaced 275 tons and were 200 feet (61 m) long. Their locomotive (later Reed) boilers generated 3,850 shp (2,870 kW) which produced a top speed of between 26 and 27 knots. As was usual with ships of their type, they carried one 12-pounder, two torpedo tubes and had a complement of 53 officers and men.

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (January 2013)

HMS Zephyr with four funnels, after reboilering and the addition of three funnels.
Class overview
Name	Fervent class
Builders	Hanna, Donald & Wilson, Paisley
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	Banshee class
Succeeded by	Conflict class
Built	1895
In commission	1901–1920
Completed	2
Scrapped	2
General characteristics
Type	Torpedo Boat Destroyer
Displacement	275 long tons (279 t)
Length	200 ft (61 m)
Propulsion	3,850 shp (2,871 kW)
Speed	27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph)
Complement	53
Armament	1 × 12-pounder gun 2 × torpedo tubes

Both ships served in home waters. They originally were designed with one funnel but when they failed to reach their contract speed they were reboilered with four funnels. Due to these problems, the ships did not leave their builders until 1901.

References

• 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.
• Donald, William (2012). "A Shipbuilder's Problems: Hanna, Donald, & Wilson and the Early Destroyer". Warship International. XLIX (1): 45–58. ISSN 0043-0374.
• 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.