[1] The ship had a pair of horizontal trunk steam engines, each driving one propeller shaft.

The engines produced a total of 2,100 indicated horsepower (1,600 kW) and gave Lima Barros a maximum speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph).

[2] Lima Barros was armed with four 120-pounder Whitworth rifled, muzzle-loading guns mounted in two twin-gun turrets.

[1] Lima Barros, named after Midshipman Francisco Jose de Lima Barros, who was killed at the Battle of Riachuelo, was originally ordered by Paraguay from the British shipbuilding firm of Laird Brothers and was laid down in 1864 with the name of Belona[3] and the yard number 327 at their Birkenhead shipyard.

[4] She was purchased by Brazil the following year, after the start of the war when Paraguay was cut off from the outside world and could no longer make payments.