HMS Cygnet (1898)
HMS Cygnet was a two funnel, 30 knot destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1896–1897 Naval Estimates. She was the thirteenth ship to carry this name. She was launched in 1898, served in the Chatham division before World War I and was tendered to the gunnery school at Sheerness during the war. She was sold for breaking in 1920.
Construction
On 21 April 1896, the British Admiralty placed an order with John I Thornycroft and Company for three "thirty-knotter" torpedo-boat destroyers,, Cygnet and, as part of orders for seventeen thirty knotter torpedo boat destroyers and three "specials" required to reach higher speeds.Cygnet had three water-tube boilers supplying steam at to 2 four-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines, rated at, and, like previous Thornycroft destroyers, had two funnels. The ship was long overall and at the waterline, with a beam of and a draught of. Displacement was full load, while crew was 60 officers and men. Cygnet was required to reach a speed of during sea trials and carry an armament of a single QF 12 pounder 12 cwt gun, backed up by five 6-pounder guns, and two 18-inch torpedo tubes. An arched turtleback forecastle was to be fitted.
Cygnet was laid down at Thornycroft's Chiswick shipyard as yard number 320 on 25 September 1896, and was launched on 3 September 1898. During official sea trials on 5 May 1899, Cygnet reached a speed of over the measured mile and over a three hour run. Cygnet was completed in February 1900, and was the thirteenth ship of that name to serve with the Royal Navy.
Pre-War
Cygnet commissioned at Chatham in March 1900 and was assigned to the Harwich Flotilla, Commander Cecil Hickley in command. In 1899–1900, she was part of the Medway instructional Flotilla. On 19 April 1900, Cygnet recommissioned at Chatham in preparation for despatch to join the Mediterranean Fleet. In 1900, she cruised to the East Indies with the cruiser and the destroyers, and.Lieutenant Robert G. D. Dewar was appointed in command in early 1902, but was replaced by Lieutenant George J. Todd later that year. In early January 1903 she was on the Mediterranean and took part in a three-weeks cruise with other ships of the station in the Greek islands around Corfu.
On 30 August 1912 the Admiralty directed all destroyers were to be grouped into classes designated by letters based on contract speed and appearance. As a two-funnelled destroyer with a contract speed of 30 knots, Cygnet was assigned to the. The class letters were painted on the hull below the bridge area and on a funnel.
In February 1913, Cygnet was listed as being in commission at Sheerness with a nucleus crew.