HMS Polyphemus (1881) HMS Polyphemus (1881) The third HMS "Polyphemus" was a Royal Navy torpedo ram, serving from 1881 until 1903. A shallow-draft, fast, low-profile vessel, she was designed to penetrate enemy harbours at speed and sink anchored ships. Designed by Nathaniel Barnaby primarily as a protected torpedo boat, the ram was provided very much as secondary armament. It has been suggested that H. G. Wells’ fictional HMS "Thunder Child" from his novel "The War of the Worlds" may have been based on this ship, in part because he described "Thunder Child" as an ironclad torpedo ram, and "Polyphemus" was the only ship
John Corbett (Royal Navy officer) John Corbett (Royal Navy officer) Admiral Sir John Corbett (15 July 1822 – 10 December 1893) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station. Corbett joined the Royal Navy in 1835. Promoted to Commander in 1852, he served in the Second Opium War. Following his promotion to Captain in 1857, he commanded HMS "Scout", HMS "Hastings", HMS "Black Prince" and then the training ship HMS "Britannia". In 1867 he commanded HMS "Warrior". He was made Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station in 1877 and Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in 1884. He retired in 1887. In his spare