As part of the 1897–1898 construction programme for the Royal Navy, the British Admiralty placed an order with Laird, Son & Company of Birkenhead for a single "thirty-knotter" destroyer.

The ship was powered by two triple expansion steam engines, fed by four Normand boilers, rated at 6,300 ihp (4,700 kW) and was fitted with four funnels, giving a speed of 30 knots.

[10][11] Orwell returned to the United Kingdom in 1906, remaining in home waters for the rest of her Royal Navy career.

[15][16] On the outbreak of the First World War, the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla was transferred to the East coast of the United Kingdom.

[10][18][19] By March 1918, Orwell was one of only three destroyers assigned to local defence of Scapa,[20] but by June that year she had been transferred to the Irish Sea Flotilla.