HMS Sprightly (1900)

History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Sprightly
Builder:	Laird, Son & Co., Birkenhead
Laid down:	20 June 1899
Launched:	25 September 1900
Completed:	March 1902
Fate:	Scrapped, 1920
General characteristics
Class and type:	Lively-class destroyer
Displacement:	385 long tons (391 t)
Length:	219 ft (67 m)
Beam:	21.25 ft (6.5 m)
Draught:	8 ft 7 in (2.6 m)
Propulsion:	Vertical triple-expansion steam engines Coal-fired Normand boilers 6,250 hp (4,661 kW)
Speed:	30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Armament:	1 × QF 12-pounder gun 3 × 6-pounder guns 3 × 18 in (460 mm) torpedo tubes

HMS Sprightly was a B-class torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. She was built speculatively by Laird, Son & Company, Birkenhead, pre-empting further orders for vessels of this type, and was purchased by the navy in 1901.

Construction

Sprightly arrived at Plymouth from Birkenhead in late November 1901 for tests and fitting of navy equipment.^[1] She was placed in the B division of the Fleet Reserve at Devonport in late March 1902.^[2]

Operational history

Sprightly was commissioned at Devonport by Commander Roger Keyes on 13 May 1902,^[3] with the crew of the destroyer Falcon, taking that ship´s place in the instructional flotilla.^[4]

References

1. "Naval & Military intelligence" The Times (London). Monday, 25 November 1901. (36621), p. 10.
2. "Naval & Military intelligence" The Times (London). Thursday, 27 March 1902. (36726), p. 4.
3. "Naval & Military intelligence" The Times (London). Wednesday, 21 May 1902. (36773), p. 10.
4. "Naval & Military intelligence" The Times (London). Saturday, 10 May 1902. (36764), p. 8.