Night Torpedo Attack on H.M.S. "Northampton"

Night Torpedo Attack on H.M.S. "Northampton"

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no publication details, 1880.

folio [33x21cm]. unbound as issued, with original thread gathering. 11 pages.

good condition, with light browning and edge wear.


a printed account of a Royal Naval exercise that took place on the night of November 16th 1880, off St.George's, Bermuda.

The target ship was the Nelson class armoured cruiser HMS Northampton, and the attacking force consisted of the armoured gunboat HMS Viper, two torpedo boats, two steam launches, a steam pinnace and a steam cutter.

The attackers failed to break through the defences on and surrounding the target ship, but the simulated attack was deemed a successful exercise, and it demonstrated the importance of net defence.

The defence tactics also featured an early trial of electric lights both as a search tool and weapon when used to dazzle the attacking force.

The report refers to accompanying diagrams, but these are not present.

An interesting footnote is that HMS Northampton was commanded by John Fisher, later Admiral Sir John Fisher