[1] A total of 36 destroyers were ordered from 14 shipbuilders as part of the 1893–1894 Naval Estimates, all of which were required to reach a contract speed of 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph).

[16] On 30 August 1912 the Admiralty directed all destroyers were to be grouped into classes designated by letters based on contract speed and appearance.

[17][18][19] In March 1913, Surly was in commission with a nucleus crew at Portsmouth, as a tender for HMS Fisgard, the Royal Navy's training school for engineers.

[20][c] Surly remained at Portsmouth as a tender to Fisgard in July 1914, on the eve of the outbreak of the First World War.

[22] The Royal Navy mobilised its reserve forces on the eve of the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914,[23] and in January 1915, although still a tender to Fisgard,[24][25] Surly was also a member of the Portsmouth Local Defence Flotilla.