▁Red bre ast - class ▁composite ▁gun bo at , ▁the ▁third ▁ship ▁of ▁the ▁name ▁to ▁serve ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy . ▁ ▁Design ▁ ▁The ▁Red bre ast - class ▁were ▁designed ▁by ▁Sir ▁William ▁Henry ▁White , ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁Director ▁of ▁Naval ▁Const ruction ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 8 . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁ ▁Th r ush ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁June ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁at ▁Green ock . ▁ ▁Her ▁triple - exp ansion ▁reci proc ating ▁steam ▁engine ▁was ▁built ▁by ▁the ▁Green ock ▁Found ry , ▁and ▁developed ▁, ▁sufficient ▁to ▁prop el ▁her ▁at ▁ ▁through ▁her ▁single ▁sc rew . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Her ▁first ▁station ▁was ▁the ▁North ▁America ▁and ▁West ▁Ind ies ▁Station ▁based ▁in ▁Hal if ax ▁where , ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 1 , ▁she ▁was ▁commanded ▁by ▁Prince ▁George , ▁later ▁to ▁become ▁King ▁George ▁V ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 6 ▁Th r ush , ▁along ▁with ▁S par row , ▁played ▁a ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁ 4 0 ▁minute ▁Ang lo - Z anz ib ar ▁War . ▁She ▁was ▁also ▁on ▁active ▁service ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁Bo er ▁War , ▁which ▁last ed ▁between ▁October ▁ 1 8 9 9 ▁and ▁June ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁where ▁she ▁was ▁commanded ▁by ▁Lieutenant ▁Warren ▁H ast ings ▁D ' O y ly . ▁In ▁early ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁she ▁helped ▁a ▁British