The Navy and Military Record drew attention to the fact that the strict enforcing of the penalty clauses imposed upon the builders of the Rattlesnake would have cut the Rattlesnake out of service. It had been noticed that the Rattlesnake had a record of never having had a single mishap with her engines, and that Messrs. Laird Brothers, her builders had been fined 1000 pounds sterling for making the engines heavier, and stronger than originally specified.