17 November 1870

Latitude 4.57S. Longitude 55.45E. Current N19E. Wind light airs from the east. Barometer 30112 inches. St Annes Island N29W 24 nautical miles.

0615. Lit fires under second boiler.

0835 sighted land on port bow (Maki).

1145. Frigate Island NNE ½ E. Under steam. Noon. St Annes Peak N29W. 24 miles.. Squared yards..

1600 Rounded North Point of St Annes.

1630 Arrived in Barachois. Let go in 10 ½ fathoms on broken bottom and moored ship 3 shackles on each cable. Open hawse to SE on mooring swivel. Found here a Portuguese bark and two brigantines.

The weather on the passage had been exceedingly fine with so little wind. We have felt the heat very much. The currents have been rather irregular. One day having a strong westerly and the next hardly any.

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.

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