HMS Daring (1874)

HMS Daring was a Daring-class torpedo boat destroyer built for the Royal Navy in the 1890s. Constructed by John Thornycroft & Company, she was ordered as part of the 1892-93 Naval Estimates.

Laid down in 1892, launched on 25 November 1893, and completed in 1894, Daring, along with her sister ship HMS Decoy, represented an early attempt to create a seagoing vessel capable of both offensive torpedo attacks and defending against similar attacks by enemy vessels.

The Daring-class destroyers were characterized by their high speed (achieved through lightweight construction and powerful engines), and their armament, which consisted of torpedo tubes and quick-firing guns. Daring displaced approximately 260 tons and was armed with one 12-pounder gun, three 6-pounder guns, and two 18-inch torpedo tubes.

Service life for Daring was primarily spent with the Home Fleet, participating in various exercises and fleet maneuvers designed to test and refine the Royal Navy's rapidly evolving torpedo boat destroyer tactics. She was an active unit during a period of intense naval development as navies around the world experimented with new technologies like torpedoes and rapid-firing guns.

Daring was eventually sold out of service in 1912, marking the end of her active career with the Royal Navy. Her relatively short service life reflects the rapid pace of technological advancement in naval warfare during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as older designs were quickly superseded by more capable vessels. She is remembered as an important early example of the torpedo boat destroyer, a type of warship that would become a vital part of navies worldwide.