The obsolete armed yacht HHS Glasgow of Zanzibar fired upon a British flotilla led by St George, also comprising Philomel, Racoon, Sparrow and Thrush.

With a Union Jack flying over the sinking yacht in surrender, the flotilla launched lifeboats to rescue the crew of Glasgow which would lie at the bottom of Zanzibar Town Harbour until 1912.

In 1901, she was one of two escort ships for the royal yacht Ophir, which carried the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (later King George V and Queen Mary) during their tour of the British Empire.

[4] After her return to Portsmouth in late October, she paid off on 15 November and her crew was transferred to HMS Good Hope.

[5] She was the flagship of the Cape & West Africa Station (Rear-Admiral Harry Rawson) based at Simon's Town, and served in the First World War.