She was designed by Sir Edward Reed, and was a smaller version of, and hence a half-sister to, the Cerberus-class monitors Cerberus and Magdala.

After the placing of the order for Magdala, budgetary limitations meant that a smaller, cheaper vessel had to be acquired.

The ferry trip out to her base in Bombay was made under her own power, without the use of any sail whatsoever.

Abyssinia remained at anchor in Bombay harbour, other than for occasional brief trips for firing practice, for the whole of her service career.

When the Indian Harbour Defence Service was discontinued in 1903, she was sold locally and broken up.