She was laid down as yard number 319 on 8 June 1896 at the John I Thornycroft and Company shipyard at Chiswick on the River Thames.

After 30 September 1913, she was known as a D-class destroyer and had the letter "D" painted on the hull below the bridge area and on either the fore or aft funnel.

[9] August 1914 found her in active commission at The Nore Local Flotilla based at Sheerness tendered to HMS Actaeon, the gunnery school.

[10] She was lost on 7 March 1916 at the entrance to Black Deep off the East Coast near Harwich after striking a mine laid by the German submarine UC-10.

She sank in the North Sea at an approximate position of 51°45′N 01°30′E / 51.750°N 1.500°E / 51.750; 1.500 (about 10 nautical miles (19 km) East of Clacton-on-Sea) with the loss of 22 crewmembers.