HMS Antelope was an Alarm-class torpedo gunboat of the Royal Navy, launched in 1893 and serving until her decommissioning and sale for scrap in 1919. Designed by Sir William White in 1889, the ship measured 242 feet overall in length with a beam of 27 feet and displaced approximately 810 long tons. Her construction faced initial delays due to issues with the propeller shafts, but she was ultimately launched at Devonport Dockyard on 12 July 1893, with the cost of construction totaling £61,395. The vessel was completed in May 1894. Powered by two vertical triple-expansion steam engines supplied by Yarrows, and equipped with two locomotive-type boilers, Antelope achieved a top speed of 18.7 knots. Her propulsion system generated around 3,500 indicated horsepower, and she was armed with two QF 4.7-inch guns, four 3-pounder guns, one Gardner machine gun, and three 18-inch torpedo tubes—two on revolving deck mounts and one at the bow, with three reloads available. Throughout her early service, Antelope participated in naval manoeuvres, including those in 1894, 1896, 1899, 1900, and 1901, and was present at the 1897 Fleet Review at Spithead for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. In 1899, she was allocated for training naval reserves, supporting the Hulk Daedalus at Bristol. Her active service included participation in fleet reviews in 1902 for King Edward VII’s coronation, with commanders Henry Arthur Phillips and William Nicholson commanding her at different times. By 1905, her combat value was considered comparatively small, and she was reclassified from an active fighting vessel to harbor service in 1910, serving as a training ship at Devonport. During World War I, she was used primarily for stokers’ training. Antelope remained in service until she was sold for breaking in 1919. Her career reflects the transition period in naval technology and the shifting role of torpedo gunboats in the Royal Navy during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

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