IX 



THE SPEED BOAT 



IT does not seem so very long ago that 

 the tiny Turbinia made her historic dash 

 between the lines of warships at Spithead 

 and proclaimed to the world that a new 

 factor in speed had been developed. She 

 was the first turbine-driven vessel, built 

 to demonstrate the superiority of the tur- 

 bine over the old-fashioned reciprocating 

 machinery. The story is still told of a 

 couple of destroyers ordered to chase the 

 truant and head her off, demanding at the 

 same time an explanation for her intrusion. 

 The fastest destroyers in the world were 

 unable to catch up with that cheeky little 

 craft and thus they retired, beaten for the 

 first time, and by a stranger. 



From the Turbinia came the fleet war- 

 ship and also the fast liner, culminating in 



F 8l 



