15 December 1889

At sea. Course to NW by N ¾ N at 8.8 knots for Zanzibar. Wind north force 1 with broken cloud. Barometer 30.10 inches rising to 30.14 at noon before falling to 30.30 at 1600 and finishing at 30.10 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon 84F. 0520. Altered course to NW by n ¼ N. 0825. Observed land on port bow. 0930 Mustered by Divisions and performed Divine Service. 1045. Altered course to NNW. 1150 Observed Zanzibar Island. Noon. Positions 6.45S 39.29E. 1400. Course as requisite for south channel/ 1700. Stopped and came to of Zanzibar. 1710. Weighed and drifted south. 1730. Came to in 12 fathoms and veered to 2 ½ shackles. Anchorage bearings clock tower S81E Pillars N 50E Magnetic. Found here HMS Turquoise, HMS Kingfisher, HMS Algerine. Two German cruisers. Sperber and ?(Unable to read name). Let fires die out in one boiler. Distilling on two boilers. Draught forward 11 feet 4 inches. Aft 14 feet 10 inches. Coal expended 23 tons 4 cwt. Number on sick list 8.

German cruiser Sperber in port

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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