[6][a] Sea trials began in March, but excessive vibration caused one of the ship's propeller shafts to be bent.

When trials were again attempted, fouling of the ship's hull resulted in the contract speed of 27 knots not being reached,[9] although, eventually, Swordfish managed to reach an average speed of 27.117 kn (31.206 mph; 50.221 km/h) during her official three-hour trial, when her engines generated 4,750 ihp (3,540 kW).

[10] The two Armstrong-built Twenty-seven knotters were not popular in service,[11][12] with Armstrongs not being invited to tender for the Thirty-knot destroyers required in the next few shipbuilding programmes.

[9] In April 1902 she had finished a refit at Sheerness, and the following month she was commissioned at Chatham by Lieutenant Julian Walter Elmslie Townsend and the crew of the destroyer Avon,[19] taking that ship's place in the Medway Instructional Flotilla.

[20] She took part in the fleet review held at Spithead on 16 August 1902 for the coronation of King Edward VII,[21] and was back with the flotilla later the same month.