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 Rock festival organizer) and Matthew LeDrew (author of the Black Womb series). Sci-Fi on the Rock TV plans to air some "on-location" episodes from the Sci-Fi festival. Season Two of Sci-Fi on the Rock TV saw the return of Steve Lake and Ellen Curtis as hosts, but also Ellen's departure and the addition of Melanie Collins as co-host. Also, Season Two was filmed in a new location, with new equipment and new opening sequences. It is available to be watched at the Sci-Fi on the Rock site. Sci-Fi on the Rock Sci-Fi on the Rock is an annual science fiction,