Laid down 1885 In service July 1887 Length 29 m Weight 31.5 tons | Acquired 3 March 1887 Struck 27 January 1911 Construction started 1885 Displacement 28,120 kg | |
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Builder Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. Fate Sold for scrap 18 July 1911 | ||
USS Stiletto, a wooden torpedo boat, was launched in 1885 at the Herreshoff Manufacturing Co., Bristol, Rhode Island, as a private speculation. She was purchased for the United States Navy under an Act of Congress dated 3 March 1887, and entered service in July 1887, attached to the Naval Torpedo Station in Newport Rhode Island.
Stiletto was the Navy's first torpedo boat capable of launching self-propelled torpedoes. Purchased for experimental evaluation, Stiletto was based throughout her career at Newport and often captained by Andrew Wright. During 1897, she was modified to burn fuel oil, but results of sea trials held subsequently were disappointing, and the experiment was not repeated. Stiletto was struck from the Navy list on 27 January 1911 and sold on 18 July 1911 at Newport to James F. Nolan of East Boston, Massachusetts for scrapping.