HMS Tiger was a Royal Navy torpedo boat destroyer built by John Brown on Clydebank, launched on 19 May 1900 and completed in June 1901. Designed as a three-funnel vessel, she was part of the 1899-1900 naval construction programme, constructed on speculation and purchased by the Admiralty. Her specifications included an overall length of 222 feet (67.7 meters), a beam of 20 feet 6 inches (6.25 meters), and a draught of 8 feet 11 inches (2.72 meters). Displacement was approximately 380 long tons (390 tonnes) light, increasing to 425 long tons (432 tonnes) at full load. The ship was powered by four Normand boilers generating steam at 230 pounds per square inch, driving triple expansion steam engines rated at 6,400 indicated horsepower, which propelled her to a designed speed of 30 knots. Her armament comprised a single 12-pounder 12 cwt gun, supported by five 6-pounder guns, and two 18-inch torpedo tubes. The vessel featured an arched turtleback forecastle and was crewed by 63 officers and ratings. HMS Tiger’s operational career was primarily confined to Home Waters. She was commissioned at Devonport on 21 August 1901 and assigned to the Portsmouth Flotilla of the Home Fleet. Her service was relatively short; she was paid off on 4 January 1902, with her crew transferred to HMS Ostrich. Notably, in September 1907, Tiger ran aground on Portland Harbour’s breakwater, damaging her keel. Her most significant and tragic event occurred on 2 April 1908 during a fleet exercise in the English Channel. During a night test of fleet defense against torpedo boat attacks, Tiger was part of a mock torpedo attack involving other ships. While maneuvering, she crossed the bow of the armored cruiser HMS Berwick and was cut in two, with the forward section sinking immediately. Despite efforts to rescue her crew, 36 men, including her captain Lieutenant W.E. Middleton, lost their lives, while 22 crew members were rescued from the stern section. HMS Tiger’s brief but eventful service history highlights the perils faced by early 20th-century destroyers and underscores their role in evolving naval tactics during that period.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.