The shipbuilder Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company laid down two destroyers on speculation (i.e. without a specific order) on 1 September 1905, as Yard Number 786 and 787.
The two destroyers were of generally similar size and design to the Royal Navy's earlier  "thirty knotter" destroyers (later redesignated as the B, C or D class depending on the number of funnels), with a turtleback forecastle, with the Royal Navy having abandoned the "thirty-knotter" type for the River-class destroyers, with a higher raised forecastle instead of a turtleback, and sacrificing high speed in sea trials in favour of greater seaworthiness.
The first of the two ships, which would later become HMS Albacore, was launched on 9 October 1906.
 Palmer's was unable to find a customer for these ships, however, and offered to sell them to the Royal Navy on 5 December 1907 for £70,000–80,000 each.
The Admiralty rejected the offer in February 1908, but in April two destroyers, Tiger and Gala, were lost in accidents and it was decided to order the two stock ships from Palmer's as replacements.
A provisional order for the two ships was placed on 8 May 1908, at a price of £60,000 each, depending on successful trials, with a speed of 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph) being required.

Unlike most "thirty-knotter"s, the new ships were powered by steam turbines rather than triple expansion engines, with four Reed boilers feeding steam at 250 pounds per square inch (1,700 kPa) to Parsons direct drive turbines which drove two shafts, generating 6,000 shaft horsepower (4,500 kW).
The ships had four funnels, with the middle two funnels closely spaced.

Albacore's hull was 220 feet 10 inches (67.31 m) long overall and 215 feet 3 inches (65.61 m) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 21 feet 0 ¹⁄₄ inch (6.41 m) and a draught of 6 feet 5 ¹⁄₂ inches (1.97 m).
She displaced 408 long tons (415 t) normal load and 440 long tons (450 t) deep load.
The ship's stem was higher than earlier turtleback destroyers, while rather than the narrow conning tower of the earlier destroyers, Albacore had a full width bridge situated further aft, which was claimed by Palmer's to make the ship much dryer in heavy seas.
Gun armament consisted of three QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval guns, with two situated side by side on top of the bridge and one aft.
Two 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes were carried, while the ship had a complement of 56 officers and men.
The shipbuilder Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company laid down two destroyers on speculation (i.e. without a specific order) on 1 September 1905, as Yard Number 786 and 787. The two destroyers were of generally similar size and design to the Royal Navy's earlier  "thirty knotter" destroyers (later redesignated as the B, C or D class depending on the number of funnels), with a turtleback forecastle, with the Royal Navy having abandoned the "thirty-knotter" type for the River-class destroyers, with a higher raised forecastle instead of a turtleback, and sacrificing high speed in sea trials in favour of greater seaworthiness. The first of the two ships, which would later become HMS Albacore, was launched on 9 October 1906.  Palmer's was unable to find a customer for these ships, however, and offered to sell them to the Royal Navy on 5 December 1907 for £70,000–80,000 each. The Admiralty rejected the offer in February 1908, but in April two destroyers, Tiger and Gala, were lost in accidents and it was decided to order the two stock ships from Palmer's as replacements. A provisional order for the two ships was placed on 8 May 1908, at a price of £60,000 each, depending on successful trials, with a speed of 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph) being required.
Unlike most "thirty-knotter"s, the new ships were powered by steam turbines rather than triple expansion engines, with four Reed boilers feeding steam at 250 pounds per square inch (1,700 kPa) to Parsons direct drive turbines which drove two shafts, generating 6,000 shaft horsepower (4,500 kW). The ships had four funnels, with the middle two funnels closely spaced.
Albacore's hull was 220 feet 10 inches (67.31 m) long overall and 215 feet 3 inches (65.61 m) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 21 feet 0 ¹⁄₄ inch (6.41 m) and a draught of 6 feet 5 ¹⁄₂ inches (1.97 m). She displaced 408 long tons (415 t) normal load and 440 long tons (450 t) deep load. The ship's stem was higher than earlier turtleback destroyers, while rather than the narrow conning tower of the earlier destroyers, Albacore had a full width bridge situated further aft, which was claimed by Palmer's to make the ship much dryer in heavy seas. Gun armament consisted of three QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval guns, with two situated side by side on top of the bridge and one aft. Two 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes were carried, while the ship had a complement of 56 officers and men.
HMS Albacore (1909)