11 March 1898

Moored in Bombay Harbour. Wind NNW force 1 with broken cloud. Barometer 29.94 inches rising to 30.01 at noon before dropping to 29.96 at 1600 and finishing at 30.10 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon 85F. 0200. Received 284 lbs of fresh beef and 64 lbs of vegetables plus 178 lbs of soft bread. 0630. HMS Magdala and Torpedo Boat number 105 proceeded out of harbour.

Commenced coaling. 0920. Stopped coaling owing to strike. (Calling of Nations?) (Writing hard to read). Hands employed refitting, returning stores and as requisite. 1030. Torpedo Boat 105 returned. Noon. HMS Magdala and Torpedo Boat 106 returned. 1400. Hands employed coaling ship. 1700. HMS Plassey sailed with Torpedo Boats numbers 100, 102 and 103.
Hands coaling ship. Coal expended 5cwt. Number on sick list 6.

HMS Magdala was a Cerberus-class breastwork monitor of the Royal Navy, built specifically to serve as a coastal defence ship for the harbour of Bombay (now Mumbai) in the late 1860s. She was ordered by the India Office for the Bombay Marine. Construction started 6 October 1868 by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company and was launched 2 March 1870.

H.M.S. Plassey was one of thirteen Sharpshooter class torpedo gunboats, and one of two allocated to the Royal Indian Marine. Built by Armstrong Mitchell. Laid down 19 November 1888 and launched 5 July 1890 to be completed February 1890. Sold 17 May 1904.

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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