HMS Europa was a ship of the Diadem-class protected cruisers in the Royal Navy. She was built by J&G Thompson of Clydebank and launched on 20 March 1897. In the early years of her career, she served with the Channel Squadron. She left Portsmouth on 19 January 1900 with a new crew for HMS Ramillies, which had recently become flagship of the second in command, Mediterranean station. Returning from Malta she transported the paid-off crew of Ramillies to Portsmouth, where she arrived the following month. She was then ordered to take out reliefs for the Australia Station.