In the first post here is a photo of a torpedo boat destroyer dated 1897 on what can best be described as a muddy berth on the river bank which was all that was needed for these lightweight assassins.
This is either of the 30 knot tbd's from the 1896-97 programme, HMS Violet or Sylvia, launched 3 May 1897 and 3 July 1897. £54,117 and £55,778 respectively. And there was still a profit in there. Possibly.
Lyons states it was somewhat surprising when Doxfords were asked to tender for their first tbd's, Hardy and Hearty, from the 1893-94 programme which proved to be reasonably successful, exactly where reasonable stands in the hierarchy of anything is open to speculation.
For 1897-98 they built Lee, almost a repeat of Violet and Sylvia followed by Success in 1899-1900 both being wrecked,1909 and 1914.
That is a summary of Doxfords dalliance with the Admiralty, pretty brief by any measure but far from the shortest. Patently a business much more at home with their merchant construction. And their sanity and profits, no doubt.