HMS Vigilant was a Clydebank three-funnel, 30-knot destroyer purchased by the Royal Navy under the 1899–1900 Naval Estimates. She was the ninth ship to carry this name since it was introduced in 1755 for an 8-gun schooner captured in 1756 by the French at Oswego.[3][4]

History
United Kingdom
Name	Vigilant
Builder	John Brown and Company, Clydebank
Laid down	Speculative Build
Launched	16 August 1900
Acquired	1899 – 1900 Naval Estimates
Commissioned	June 1901
Out of service	In 1919 paid off and laid-up in reserve awaiting disposal
Fate	10 February 1920 sold to South Alloa Ship Breaking Company for breaking at Charlestown near Rosyth on the Firth of Forth
General characteristics
Class and type	Clydebank three-funnel, 30-knot destroyer[1][2]
Displacement	350 long tons (356 t) standard 395 long tons (401 t) full load 218 ft (66 m) o/a 20 ft 8 in (6.30 m) Beam 8 ft 11 in (2.72 m) Draught
Propulsion	4 × Thornycroft water tube boiler 2 × Vertical Triple Expansion (VTE) steam engines driving 2 shafts producing 5,800 shp (4,300 kW)
Speed	30 kn (56 km/h)
Range	80 tons coal 1,465 nautical miles (2,713 km) at 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph)
Complement	63 officers and men
Armament	1 × QF 12-pounder 12 cwt Mark I L/40 naval gun on a P Mark I Low angle mount 5 × QF 6-pdr 8 cwt naval gun L/40 Naval gun on a Mark I* low angle mount 2 × single tubes for 18-inch (450mm) torpedoes

Construction and career

She was laid down as a speculative build Yard No 116 at the John Brown and Company shipyard in Clydebank. She was purchased by the Royal Navy on 31 March 1900 and was launched on 19 August 1900. During her trials, she made her contract speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph). She was completed and accepted by the Royal Navy in June 1901.[3][4] After commissioning she was assigned to the Channel Fleet in the Portsmouth Flotilla. She spent her operational career mainly in Home Waters, operating with the Channel Fleet.

On 30 August 1912 the Admiralty directed all destroyer classes were to be designated by alpha characters starting with the letter 'A'. Since her design speed was 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) with three funnels, she was assigned to the C Class. After 30 September 1913, she was known as a C-Class destroyer and had the letter ‘C’ painted on the hull below the bridge area and on either the fore or aft funnel.[5]

World War I

In July 1914 Vigilant was part of the Eighth Patrol Flotilla, based at Chatham.[6]

In 1919, HMS Vigilant was paid off and laid-up in reserve, awaiting disposal. She was sold on 10 February 1920 to South Alloa Ship Breaking Company for breaking at Charlestown near Rosyth on the Firth of Forth.[7]

Pennant Numbers

References

NOTE: All tabular data under General Characteristics only from the listed Jane's Fighting Ships volume unless otherwise specified

Bibliography

• 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.
• Dittmar, F. J. & Colledge, J. J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0380-7.
• 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 1-84067-3648.
• Manning, T. D. (1961). The British Destroyer. London: 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.

External links

• http://www.gwpda.org/naval/s0420000.htm