# SMS S90

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**SMS *S90***[a][b] was a torpedo-boat of the [Imperial German Navy](/source/Imperial_German_Navy). She was built by [Schichau](/source/Schichau-Werke) at [Elbing](/source/Elbing) as the [lead ship](/source/Lead_ship) of [her class](/source/S90-class_torpedo_boat), completing in 1899.

At the start of the [First World War](/source/First_World_War), *S90* was based at the German colony at [Qingdao](/source/Qingdao), China. At the [Siege of Qingdao](/source/Siege_of_Qingdao) in October 1914 she sank the [Japanese cruiser *Takachiho*](/source/Japanese_cruiser_Takachiho) and then was deliberately run aground on 17 October 1914.

## Design and construction

From the mid 1880s, the Imperial German Navy built up a large force of torpedo boats, while building a few larger "Division Boats" to lead the torpedo boat flotillas. From 1898, work began on a new class of larger torpedo boats, the [*S90*-class torpedo boat](/source/S90-class_torpedo_boat). These ships, known as *Große Torpedoboote* or *Hochsee Torpedoboote* (large torpedo boats or high-seas torpedo boats) were large enough to carry the extra crew needed to act as flotilla leaders, eliminating the need to build separate Division boats, but, although they were of similar size to contemporary foreign [torpedo-boat destroyers](/source/Torpedo-boat_destroyer), they were still principally intended for torpedo attack, and only carried a light gun armament.[1][2]

An initial group of 12 of the new large torpedo boats (*S90*–*S101*) were built by the [Schichau-Werke](/source/Schichau-Werke) shipyard at [Elbing](/source/Elbing) in [East Prussia](/source/East_Prussia), Germany's principal builder of torpedo boats from 1898 to 1901, and this was followed by successive orders for similar ships, of gradually evolving design until 1907.[3][4]

*S90*, the lead ship of the class, was [laid down](/source/Keel_laying) in 1898 as [yard number](/source/Yard_number) 644, was [launched](/source/Ceremonial_ship_launching) on 26 July 1899 and completed on 24 October 1899.[4]

*S90* was 63.0 metres (206 ft 8 in) long [overall](/source/Length_overall) and 62.7 metres (205 ft 9 in) [between perpendiculars](/source/Length_between_perpendiculars), with a [beam](/source/Beam_(ship)) of 7.0 metres (23 ft 0 in) and a [draught](/source/Draft_(nautical)) of 2.83 metres (9 ft 3 in). The ship [displaced](/source/Displacement_(ship)) 310 tonnes (310 long tons) design and 394 tonnes (388 long tons) deep load.[4] While most contemporary torpedo boats and destroyers had turtleback [forecastles](/source/Forecastle), the *S90*-class instead had a short raised forecastle, giving improved seakeeping.[5]

Three coal-fired [water-tube boilers](/source/Water-tube_boiler) fed steam at a pressure of 15.4 standard atmospheres (226 psi) to two sets of three-cylinder [triple expansion steam engines](/source/Compound_steam_engine#Multiple_expansion_engines). The ship's machinery was rated at 5,900 PS (5,800 hp; 4,300 kW) giving a design speed of 26.5 knots (30.5 mph; 49.1 km/h). 93 tons of coal were carried,[c] giving an endurance of 830 nautical miles (960 mi; 1,540 km) at 17 knots (20 mph; 31 km/h) or 690 nautical miles (790 mi; 1,280 km) at 20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h).[4] She reached a speed of 26.4 knots (30.4 mph; 48.9 km/h) during [sea trials](/source/Sea_trials) in November 1899, fully equipped and carrying 65 tons of coal.[5]

Armament consisted of three [5.0 cm (2.0 in) SK L/40 guns](/source/5_cm_SK_L/40_gun), with two mounted side-by-side forward and one aft. Three single 45 cm torpedo tubes were fitted, with one in the gap between the ship's forecastle and the bridge, and two aft. Two spare torpedoes could be carried.[5][3][4] The ship had a crew of 50 officers and other ranks.[5]

## Service

*S90*, together with sister ships [SMS *S91*](/source/SMS_S91) and [SMS *S92*](/source/SMS_S92), was sent out to China in the company of the [hospital ship](/source/Hospital_ship) *Gera* in 1900 in order to reinforce the German East Asiatic Squadron as a result of the ongoing [Boxer Rebellion](/source/Boxer_Rebellion).[6][7][8] *S91* and *S92* returned to Germany in the company of the cruiser [SMS *Kaiserin Augusta*](/source/SMS_Kaiserin_Augusta) in 1902.[9]

At the outbreak of the [First World War](/source/First_World_War), *S90* was one of two torpedo boats attached to the German East Asiatic Squadron, with the main base at [Qingdao](/source/Qingdao) in China.[10][11] The elderly *S90*, however, was only suitable for local patrols, while the ex-Chinese destroyer [SMS *Taku*](/source/SMS_Taku) was no longer operational. It had been planned to replace these two ships by [SMS *S120*](/source/SMS_S120) and [SMS *S121*](/source/SMS_S121).[12] On 22 August 1914, the British destroyer [HMS *Kennet*](/source/HMS_Kennet), part of a British squadron patrolling off Qingdao, spotted *S90* and tried to stop the German torpedo boat from returning to port. *Kennet* fired 136 rounds and one torpedo at *S90*, but *S90* was undamaged and reached Qingdao safely, while *S90**s return fire damaged*****Kennet*, disabling one of*Kennet**s guns and killing five of the British ship's crew.[13][14]

Japan declared war on Germany on 23 August 1914,[15] and soon began operations to besiege Qingdao. On 17 October 1914, *S90* sortied from Qingdao and torpedoed the [Japanese cruiser *Takachiho*](/source/Japanese_cruiser_Takachiho) before scuttling herself by intentionally running herself aground.[16] Her crew were interned by neutral China in [Nanking](/source/Nanking). They attempted escape on 30 October 1914, but were recaptured.[17]

## Notes

1. "SMS" stands for "*[Seiner Majestät Schiff](/source/Seiner_Majest%C3%A4t_Schiff)*" (

1. The "S" in *S90* denoted the shipbuilder who constructed her, in this case Schichau.[2]

1. A total of 130 tons could be carried if stored in the engine rooms as well as the ship's coal bunkers. This would give rise to stability problems, however.[5]

## Citations

1. Chesneau & Kolesnik 1979, pp. 262, 265

1. Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 164

1. Chesneau & Kolesnik 1979, pp. 264–265

1. Gröner, Jung & Maass 1983, pp. 42–43

1. Friedman 2009, p. 88

1. ["Warships for China"](https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/singfreepresswk19000920-1.2.77). *The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser*. 20 September 1900. p. 11. Retrieved 2 June 2023. – via NewspaperSG.

1. ["Shipping News"](https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitsbudget19000920-1.2.60). *Straits Budget*. 20 September 1900. p. 7. Retrieved 2 June 2023. – via NewspaperSG.

1. Hildebrand, Röhr & Steinmetz 1980, p. 124

1. Hildebrand, Röhr & Steinmetz 1986, p. 12

1. Naval Staff Monograph No. 16 1922, pp. 35–38

1. Halpern 1994, p. 71

1. Raeder 1922, p. 12

1. Naval Staff Monograph No. 16 1922, p. 49

1. Corbett 1920, p. 149

1. Naval Staff Monograph No. 16 1922, p. 52

1. Halpern 1994, p. 74

1. ["Interned German Crew: Escape and Recapture"](https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/80162508). *[The Singleton Argus](/source/The_Singleton_Argus)*. 3 November 1914. p. 2.

## References

- *Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905*. London: Conway Maritime Press. 1979. ISBN 0-85177-133-5.
- Corbett, Julian S. (1920). *Naval Operations: Volume I: To the Battle of the Falklands December 1914*. History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents. London: Longmans Green & Co.
- Friedman, Norman (2009). *British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the Second World War*. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-049-9.
- *Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921*. London: Conway Maritime Press. 1985. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1983). *Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815–1945: Band 2: Torpedoboote, Zerstörer, Schnellboote, Minensuchboote, Minenräumboote* (in German). Koblenz: Bernard & Graef Verlag. ISBN 3-7637-4801-6.
- Halpern, Paul G. (1994). *A Naval History of World War I*. London: UCL Press. ISBN 1-85728-498-4.
- Hildebrand, Hans H.; Röhr, Albert; Steinmetz, Hans-Otto (1980). *Die Deutschen Kriegsschiffe: Biographien – ein Spiegel der Marinegeschichte von 1815 bis zur Gegenwart : Band 2* (in German). Herford, Germany: Koelers Verlagsgesellschaft mBH. ISBN 3-7822-0210-4.
- Hildebrand, Hans H.; Röhr, Albert; Steinmetz, Hans-Otto (1986). *Die Deutschen Kriegsschiffe: Biographien – ein Spiegel der Marinegeschichte von 1815 bis zur Gegenwart : Band 4* (in German). Herford, Germany: Koelers Verlagsgesellschaft mBH. ISBN 3-7822-0382-8.
- [*Monograph No. 16: The China Squadron, 1914, Including the Emden Hunt*](http://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/Naval-Staff-Monographs-Vol.V_opt.pdf). Vol. V. The Eastern Squadrons, 1914. Naval Staff Monographs (Historical). Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division. 1922. pp. 17–116.
- Raeder, E. (1922). [*Der Kreuzerkrieg in den ausländischen Gewässen: Erster Band: Das Kreuzergeschwader*](https://archive.org/details/derkreuzerkriegi01raed). Der Kreig zur See. Berlin: Verlag von E. S. Mittler & Sohn.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [SMS S90](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_S90) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_S90?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.