S.S. Turbinia is the first ship to be powered by one of Charles Parsons steam turbines. Turbinia a small vessel of a little over 100' long by 9' wide and displacing only 44tons was powered by essentially a 3 stage turbine for top speed of around 34kts. the 3 stages powered three propellor shafts to drive the little ship through the water. At the Royal Navy Review at Spithead in 1897 Parsons drove Turbinia through the fleet at top speed thus bringing attention to his turbines. instead of getting into trouble by such actions in front of Queen Victoria herself he was asked by the Kaiser's son Prince Henry{who was on the review with the Queen} to run by again thus ensuring the success of his propulsion system. nine years later the famous HMS Dreadnought was launched as the first of the world's battleships to be turbine powered. within the next 12 or so years all the first line vessels of the Royal Navy would be so powered. the first picture shows Charles Parsons himself aboard Turbinia. the next picture is of Turbinia in the Discovery Museum in Newcastle, UK showing her stern and 3 propellor shafts. third picture is in the Museum and shows Turbinia from forward. and last is a picture of Turbinia at flank speed of 34kts. going through the fleet. this was faster than any steam driven vessel with reciprocating engines was capable of thus showing the future of steam propulsion at sea.
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