The British Fleet in the Sea of Marmora – Searching for Torpedo Boats by the Electric Light on board H.M.S. “Agincourt.”

On the lookout for enemy torpedo boats during the Russo-Turkish War.

European powers grew tremendously at the expense of the Ottoman Empire in the second half of the 19th century. Britain had a vested interest in maintain the tenuous balance of power on the continent, and during the 1878 Russo-Turkish war, she sent a squadron of ships to Constantinople to deter any Russian attempts at taking the city (and control of the vial Bosporus Strait).

Activity aboard the H.M.S. Agincourt is scene here, as sailors use an electric searchlight to sweep the shoreline for torpedo boats. Accompanying text describes the developmental history of the weapon, including its use during the American Civil War.