The ship recommissioned in 1899 for service on the China Station and some of her crew participated in the Battle of Tientsin in 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion.

The Orlando-class cruisers were enlarged versions of the Mersey class with more armour and a more powerful armament.

The ships were powered by a pair of three-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one shaft, which were designed to produce a total of 8,500 indicated horsepower (6,300 kW) and a maximum speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) using steam provided by four boilers with forced draught.

The ship carried a maximum of 900 long tons (910 t) of coal which was designed to give her a range of 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).

Aurora participated in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Fleet review on 26 June 1897 at Spithead.

[10] Officers and crew received the China War Medal (1900) on 15 April,[11] before she paid off at Devonport two days later.

[12] Upon her return, Aurora left in August 1902 for Clydebank to be refitted,[13] and was placed in Devonport Reserve in 1904 before she was taken out of service the following year.