Defender-class torpedo boat

Acquired for the external defence of New Zealand, at a cost of about £3,200 each, all four boats were built and engined by John I. Thornycroft & Company at Church Wharf, Chiswick on the River Thames.[1] As built the class was armed with a single McEvoy spar torpedo, which was designed to be rammed into a vessel and explode beneath the waterline.The last pair had 18-inch Whitehead torpedoes fitted at build, and these were later retrofitted to Defender and Taiaroa.[1] Torpedo Corps units of the Permanent Militia were formed to operate the boats at the four main ports of Lyttelton (Defender), Port Chalmers (Taiaroa), Devonport (Waitemata) and Wellington (Poneke),[2] each with its boatshed and slipway.This article about a specific naval ship or boat of the United Kingdom is a stub.
John I. Thornycroft & CompanyRoyal NavyAcheron-classtorpedo boatHMVS Childersreciprocating engineLocomotiveboilerSpar torpedoWhitehead torpedoesNordenfelt gunNew ZealandChiswickRiver ThameswaterlineLondon Port Chalmers, New ZealandTorpedo Corps units of the Permanent MilitiaLytteltonPort ChalmersDevonportWellingtonDefenderTaiaroaWaitemataPonekeEarly naval vessels of New ZealandAcheron classChildersNepeanLonsdaleGordonCountess of HopetounTB 191MosquitoColonial navies of Australia