I was inspired by DP:s outstanding renditions of selected Victorian battleships to attempt to illustrate one of the most curious phenomenon that existed in those days and onboard many of Her Majesty's White-'n'-Buff liveried battle wagons: a 2nd class torpedoboat which effectively made this ships more than weapons platforms; they also became mother- (or parent-) ships of this little gadflies, which were intended for close action against a hostile battle fleet or operations against moored enemy ships beneath the range of the battleships' guns. The one I chose is one the earliest that was embarked on numerous 1st Class battleships, among them HMS Victoria of 1887.
It is a 63 foot Thornycroft steam powered 2nd torpedoboat (or launch would probably be more accurate description) - TB 64-73. It was built by Thornycroft between 1882-89 in many variants and a direct competitor to Yarrow's design of the same period. On the Victoria it would have been stowed on her port side boat deck outside of the two 50 foot steam launches. The aft boom assisted in launching the TB into water and it was good for at least 16½ knots. This particular boat was armed with two 14" torpedos on dropping gears and had a crew of 7. Exactly which 2nd class TB was finally taken onboard the Victoria is difficult to find out. Some of these midget warships did colonial service or otherwise were sent to foreign waters. However, this type is well represented in the literature, more so than any other; hence my choice. We may assume that the actual TB carried by the Victoria was very similar if not the same as the shown boat. Eventually with the introduction of the Royal Sovereigns this practice died out, since it was realised that the ships' own steam cutters and -launches armed with Maxim guns or a small gun could do the same job without wasting all that valuable deck stowage place and also burthening the ships with additional uneccessary weight.
Other nations that tried it included Imperial Russia. The cruisers Rurik, Rossiya and Gromoboi all had two torpedo armed steam launches each, slightly smaller but basically similar to the British type.
My illustration depict the type as fitted for war and as she would look in water.(left) The right illustration shows it stowed on the boat deck of a battleship.
![[ img ]](http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx161/Bezobrazov/GBTB_Thornycroft_2nd_Class_TB_1882-89.png)
![[ img ]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Gardner_gun_1888.jpg/220px-Gardner_gun_1888.jpg)
Thanks again for your kind inputs!
![[ img ]](http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx161/Bezobrazov/GBTB_Thornycroft_2nd_Class_TB_1882-89-1.png)