English, c.1902, stamped to the top '801, W & Co'(Whitehead & Co of Fiume) and to the front 451 RGF, (Royal Gun Factory) the heavy gauge brass gyroscope mounted on a fold-down section of the Mahogany carry case with brass handle, the case with a brass plaque stamped '51, A RGN' , the side of the case stamped 'RCD 1902' and 'F. King', calibration papers in the lid read 'R. N Torpedo Sub Dept Longhope' with an ink stamp for 'Engineer Commander In Charge H.M.S. Sokoto.

Footnotes: H.M.S. Sokoto was originally a torpedo sub-depot ship built in 1898 by Raylton Dixon, was one of three vessels (also Sobo, Sokoto) managed by Elder Dempster, it was then purchased in October 1914 for £55,000 and used as a Depot ship at Rosyth 1915-18 then a troopship in August 1918.

The torpedo gyroscope was based on a design originally patented by Ludwig Obry in 1896. The gyroscope is fitted with a coil spring tensioned with a winding key, when activated the gyroscope speed was 2400rpm for 21 minutes.