The Whitehead Mark 1 torpedo was the first Whitehead torpedo adopted by the United States Navy for use in an anti-surface ship role after the E. W. Bliss Company of Brooklyn, New York secured manufacturing rights in 1892.

The US Navy made an initial acquisition of 100 Mark 1s, which, by the time they entered American service, were faster, had longer range and carried a larger warhead than Robert Whitehead's earlier models.

[2] The Mark 1 was ordinarily assembled into three sections: the warhead, the air flask and the after-body.

The warhead's charge of dry guncotton weighed 98 3/4 pounds plus 20% water.

[6] The Mark 1 guidance component included the Pendulum-and-hydrostat control device which was called the "Whitehead Secret".