SMS Otter (1877)

SMS Otter was a gunboat of the Wolf-class built for the German Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial Navy) in the late 1870s. She was the fourth ship of her class.

Otter was designed for coastal defense and service in Germany's overseas colonies. She was laid down in 1877 at the AG Vulcan shipyard in Stettin, launched in 1878, and commissioned into the fleet in 1879.

The ship was armed with a main battery of several light guns, typically breech-loading guns of around 8.7 cm (3.4 in) caliber, as well as torpedo tubes. Her primary role involved patrolling coastal waters and providing support to German colonial administrations in Africa and the Pacific.

Otter served in various capacities throughout her career, including deployments to German colonies in Africa and the Pacific. She was involved in suppressing local uprisings and maintaining order in these territories. Like other gunboats of her era, she eventually became obsolete with the advancement of naval technology. Otter was decommissioned and eventually scrapped. She was replaced by more modern vessels.

The Wolf-class gunboats, including Otter, represented a significant component of the German Imperial Navy's effort to project power overseas and safeguard its colonial interests. Though small and relatively lightly armed compared to battleships and cruisers, these gunboats played a crucial role in maintaining German influence in its colonies.