HMS Niger (1892)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS Niger |
| Operator | Royal Navy |
| Ordered | 5 February 1935 |
| Builder | Naval Construction & Armament, Barrow |
| Laid down | September 17, 1891 |
| Launched | December 17, 1892 |
| Commissioned | April 25, 1893 |
| Fate | 1914 torpedoed and sunk |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 810–835 long tons (823–848 t) |
| Length | 74 m (243 ft) |
| Beam | 33 m (108 ft) |
| Draught | 8.2 m (27 ft) |
| Propulsion | 2 three-cylinder steam engines |
| Speed | 18.7 knots (35 km/h) |
| Complement | 91 |
| Armament |
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HMS Niger was a torpedo gunboat launched in 1892, converted to a minesweeper in 1909, and sunk in 1914 by U-12 near Deal. Prior to conversion, the Niger was in Portsmouth Naval torpedo School.
The sinking of HMS Niger
The Niger was about two miles off the pier Deal at anchor when she was torpedoed by noon on November 11, 1914 by the German submarine U 12 and sank. All officers and 77 men of the crew survived the sinking, four people were injured. Lieutenant-Commander Arthur Thomas Muir, who commanded the ship remained on the bridge until all other crew members had to leave the ship. He suffered serious injuries in the explosion.
On the morning of November 11th fierce fighting in the area had taken place. Around noon came an explosion and black smoke rose from the Niger. Observed from the shore many people, watched as the ship began to sink. In strong winds and rough seas about 100 boats zoned in on the Niger to help the crew, and take survivors on board. About 20 minutes after the explosion sank the ship. Some of the survivors who had been surprised at lunch and were only lightly dressed partly been driven to the Royal Naval Hospital. A smaller ship flying the Dutch flag had anchored two or three days near the Niger and had gone out just before the torpedoing at normally unsuitable weather on the lake. It has been speculated that this vehicle had been traveling under false colors and perhaps had covered the movements of the German U-boat.
Other
The Niger was the first ship of the U-boat commander Walter Forstmann sank. Forstmann was one of the most successful commanders of the Imperial Navy in the First World War.
The wreck of the Niger lies at a depth of 12 to 14 meters and is sometimes target of wreck divers.