HMS Haughty was one of the two destroyers ordered from William Doxford & Sons on 3 November 1893 as part of the Royal Navy's 1893–1894 construction programme.

[3] 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.

Sufficient coal was carried to give a range of 1,155 nautical miles (2,139 km; 1,329 mi) at 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph).

[2][3] Sea trials were successful,[11] with the ship reaching an average speed of 27.1 knots (50.2 km/h; 31.2 mph),[10] and she was completed in August 1896.

[14] In May 1902 she received the officers and men from the destroyer Havock, and was commissioned on 8 May at Chatham by Lieutenant Harry Charles John Roberts West for service with the Medway Instructional Flotilla.