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
Sci-Fi on the Rock bi-weekly" basis. Season One of "Sci-Fi on the Rock TV" was hosted by Steve Lake and Ellen Curtis, and ran from September 11, 2009 to May 2010. Season Two began in September 2010, with both hosts returning, until Ellen Curtis was replaced by Melanie Collins. Sci-Fi on the Rock held its fifth festival on April 15, 16 and 17, 2011, making this year the first time the organization launched a festival that spanned three days. It was held again at the St. John's Holiday Inn, and was kicked off with a book launch from festival co-founder Darren Hann, followed by