21 July 1898

Moored in Aden Harbour. Wind E by N force 3 to 4 with broken cloud and lightning. Barometer 29.71 inches rising to 29.80 at 0800 before falling to 29.78 at noon and to 29.72 at 1600 before finishing at 29.70 inches at midnight. Temperature at noon 88F. 0200. Received 114 lbs of fresh beef and 57 lbs of vegetables plus 429 lbs of soft bread. 0910. Divisions and prayers. Lit fires in numbers 2 and 4 boilers. 100. Hands preparing ship for sea and as requisite. . Noon Wind SSE force 2 to 3. Draught forward 14 feet 3 inches. Aft 16 feet 3 inches. 1300. Hands employed preparing sip for sea and as requisite. Joined ship from HMS Marathon two ??? ( unable to read handwriting.) Discharged 4 ???? ( Unable to read hand writing) to HMS Marathon. 1400. Tested lifebuoys. Found acceptable. 1710. Commenced shortening in cable. 1728. Slipped hawser astern. Weighed and proceeded. Course as requisite for clearing HMS Marathon and HMS Melpomene and for proceeding out of harbour. Communicated by signal with Rear Admiral Drummond taking passage onboard P&O SS Egypt. 1848. Proceeded at full speed – 88 revolutions) Put over Cherub log.

Thomas Ferdinand Walker (1837–1921) first patented the Cherub log in 1878 (no. 4369). It was one of the first logs in which the recorder was placed on board the ship rather than being part of the rotor.

Shaped course to S38W. S34W. Connected hand steering gear. 2048. Watch employed scrapping and stowing cable. 2310. Sounded in 36 fathoms. Sky overcast with lightning. Speed 8.2 knots. Course S85W for Suez. Exercised sea boats crews and close watertight doors. Coal expended 10 tons 1 cwt. Number on sick list 4.

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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.

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