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HMS Hyperion, a 1930s destroyer, was fitted with two Admiralty pattern Yarrow boilers and an experimental Belville water tube boiler. My father was Chief ERA in her when she was sunk in the Mediterranean. He said they used the Belville boiler as little as possible because it was impossible to maintain a constant water level in it. As the water level rose the steam output dropped and as it dropped the steam output rose. At full power this meant that the speed was going up and down by five knots. As she was ‘Half Leader’ she sometimes lead a half flotilla and apparently station keeping at full power was somewhat ragged!
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