A remarkable series of experiments had just been concluded at Cherbourg with the successful completion of the last three hours' trial of six torpedo boats built by J. I. Thornycroft and Co. for the French Government. The primary object of the French having these vessels was for the defence of Cherbourg; but it did not take a great deal of foresight to see that boats which were capable of steaming from one end of the Channel to the other and still have sufficient coal for a two or three hour run at full speed would not be limited to a purely defensive role.