Armed boarding steamer

On 28 September 1914 Admiral John Jellicoe, commander-in-chief of the Grand Fleet, sent a telegram in which he pointed out that he did not have enough destroyers available to enforce the blockade.

Although Jellicoe did not mention it, after the loss on 22 September of the cruisers HMS Cressy, Aboukir and Hogue, he also did not want large warships making themselves sitting targets for submarines by stopping to examine merchant vessels.

[1] The first request was for 12 vessels, all to be capable of 12–14 knots (22–26 km/h; 14–16 mph), be able to carry enough coal for five days at sea, have wireless, and have boats suitable for boarding parties to use.

[1] The Royal Navy realized the need for heavier armament after the German auxiliary cruiser SMS Meteor attacked and sank the armed boarding ship HMS Ramsey on 8 August 1915.

[citation needed] A quarter were lost during active duty in the war; eight sunk by submarines, one by a German auxiliary cruiser, and one by mines.