HMS Ariel (1897)

HMS Ariel was a two funnel, 30 knot destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1895 – 1896 Naval Estimates. Named after Shakespeare's "airy spirit", or the biblical spirit of the same name, she was the ninth ship of the name to serve in the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1897, served at Chatham and Malta, and was wrecked in a storm in 1907.

Construction
She was laid down as yard number 314 on 23 April 1896 at the John I Thornycroft and Company shipyard at Chiswick on the River Thames. She was launched on 5 March 1897. During her builder’s trials she made her contract speed of 30 knots, and proceeded to Portsmouth to have her armament fitted. She was completed and accepted by the Royal Navy in October 1898. During her acceptance trials and work ups her average sea speed was 25 knots.

Pre-War
After commissioning Ariel was assigned to the Chatham Division of the Harwich Flotilla where she participated in the exercises with HMS Angler (1897) in 1899.

She was commissioned at Chatham on 22 August 1901 by Lieutenant and Commander L. G. D. Way, with a complement of 60 officers and men, to serve at the Mediterranean station. Upon arrival at Gibraltar she replaced the Hornet as tender to the Cormorant. On 3 December 1901 she arrived in Malta from Gibraltar.

Loss
On 19 April 1907 she was wrecked in a storm off Ricasoli, Malta.