[7] On 12 October 1893, the British Admiralty placed an order for three torpedo boat destroyers (Ardent, Boxer and Bruizer) with the shipbuilder Thornycroft under the 1893–1894 shipbuilding programme for the Royal Navy as a follow-on to the two prototype destroyers (Daring and Decoy) ordered from Thornycroft under the 1892–1893 programme.

[8][b] The Admiralty did not specify a standard design for destroyers, laying down broad requirements, including a trial speed of 27 knots (31 mph; 50 km/h), a "turtleback" forecastle and armament, which was to vary depending on whether the ship was to be used in the torpedo boat or gunboat role.

[3] The ship was launched on 27 February 1895, with the naming ceremony performed by Miss Kathleen Barnaby, the daughter of the S.W.

[3] Bruizer took part in the 1896 British Naval manoeuvres,[17] and was transferred to the Mediterranean Squadron during that year.

Lieutenant Robert Cathcart Kemble Lambert was appointed in command in 1902,[18] and in April that year she took part in gunnery and tactical exercises.