Between 1887 and 1888, HMS Severn carried an experimental submerged broadside torpedo tube designed by William H. May. The starboard installation was angled twelve degrees forward of the beam. Its firing arrangement extended a bar to guide the torpedo as it entered the water, an attempt to make a submerged launch practical from the cruiser's side. The first version required modification, but the Admiralty judged the idea promising enough to continue development rather than abandon it.
Notable Point · 18:11-19:11
HMS Severn tests a submerged torpedo tube
Severn's 1887-88 trial explored a William H. May submerged broadside torpedo-tube design and exposed the need for further refinement.