On 25 August 1896 a new Sultan, Khalid, ascended to the sultancy without first consulting the British authorities, as required by treaty. This sparked the Anglo-Zanzibar War. On 27 August the now obsolete "Glasgow", the sole vessel of the Zanzibar Navy, fired upon a flotilla of five British ships, led by the cruiser with its guns. In return "Glasgow" was holed below her waterline and began sinking. Her crew hoisted the British flag as a token of surrender and all were rescued by British sailors in launches. The ship eventually sank at 10:45 am that day, settling on the harbour bed with just its masts and funnel projecting from the water.