Alert and Torch were constructed of steel to a design by William White, the Royal Navy Director of Naval Construction. They were powered by a three-cylinder vertical triple expansion steam engine developing 1,400 horsepower and driving a single screw.
The class was originally designed and built with barque-rigged sails, but both ships were re-rigged as barquentines before 1900 by removing the main yards.
Both ships of the class were armed with four 4-inch and four 3-pounder guns, and three machine guns.
Torch was laid down at Sheerness Dockyard on 18 December 1893 and launched almost a year later on 28 December 1894.[1] She was commissioned in October 1895.
Torch joined the Australian Station in February 1897, serving in New Zealand waters in 1898 and 1899.[1] [2] She was part of the naval escort for the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York to Australia and New Zealand aboard the chartered Royal liner HMS Ophir during 1901.[1] After a refit, she recommissioned at Sydney on 29 November 1913. In July 1914 Torch, in company with the French cruiser Kersaint, was involved with a native uprising on the Island of Wala, Vanuatu. Five men were killed and four injured, and one native prisoner was captured.[3] In August 1914 she became part of the New Zealand Division of the Pacific Station.
On 16 August 1917 she was transferred to the New Zealand Government as the training ship HMS Firebrand.[4] [1] Torch paid off for the last time on 23 November 1914.[5]
She was sold in 1920, renamed Rama and fitted out as a refrigerated ship for the Chatham Islands fishing trade.
While leaving harbour at Kaingaroa, on Pitt Island in the Chatham Islands on 17 November 1924 she struck an uncharted rock, and was beached and abandoned.[1] [2] [6]
