14 September 1870

Wind south easterly until Noon then ESE until 2000 when it became SE.  Wind force 3 to 4 increasing to 6.

0015. Lowered Fore and Mizzen topsails. Furled Fore and Mizzen topsails. In Fore trysail.

0350. Up Foresail.

0525. Observed Belle Air  Light SW ¼ W. 0540. Set Fore topsail. Course  SW by ½ W.

0730. Set Foresail. 0900. Quarters and prayers.. Pilot came onboard.

0930. Shortened and furled sails.

0935. Stopped and came to in 14 fathoms on the starboard anchor. Veered to 50 fathoms.  Anchor bearing Signal staff south and Cape Barnard  W by S. Saluted French Flag with 21 guns. Artificers making good small defects.

PM. English consul left the ship with a 7 gun salute.. Midshipmen and cutlass men of watch at cutlass drill. Watch employed repairing ratlines and making sennit. Sailmakers making cover for hammock nettings.

1715. Exercised at General Quarters. Comment from the log.  – Although this is the chief port of the island there is never more than a dozen vessels lying in the roadstead and they are generally French. The port round to the west is a little more sheltered from the strong winds which of course masks a heavy surf on the shore and the rollers make it very uncomfortable for ships making long stays and especially for loading cargo.  There is one tolerable sized fort on Point Des Jardens which evidently being repaired and put in order for the present war. There is also a small battery in front of the hospital which is very conspicuous  white building to the right of the town.

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1806-1816

This is the account of the first vessel named HMS Cossack, a title that would be passed on to five later ships and commemorated by the Royal Navy in the Cossack Building at HMS Raleigh.

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1854-1875

The second Cossack was originally ordered by Russia for the Black Sea Fleet in December 1852 at a cost of 290,000 silver roubles. However, when relations between Britain and Russia deteriorated, Russia sold the vessels to the Hamburg trading firm Henry Mersk & Co.

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1886-1905

This account covers the third vessel named HMS Cossack. Launched on 3 June 1886 and in service until 1905, she spent the majority of her career in the Far East, calling at India, Aden, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and other ports.

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1907-1919

The fourth HMS Cossack received the first Battle Honour for participating in operations along the Belgian coast from 17 October to 8 November 1914. This section contains copies of the original construction contract and detailed plans showing her launch, deck arrangements, and machinery.

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1938-1941

Credited with battle honours including Baltic 1855, Witu 1890, Dover Patrol 1914–1919, Narvik 1940, Norway 1940, Atlantic 1940–1941, the Bismarck Action 1941, and the Malta Convoys 1941, the HMS Cossack in service from 1938 to 1941 was a formidable presence.

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1944-1960

During Warship Week in February 1942, the town of Esher raised £1,192,211, contributing to the construction of the warship HMS Cossack. The funds were collected by the public depositing money into a rubber-type float in a pool. Remarkably, the surplus was enough to fund a submarine as well. The story continues.

Anchor crest

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