After service as the flagship of the North America and West Indies Squadron from 1892 to 1895, Blake served in the Channel Fleet.

She arrived at Plymouth on 2 January 1901 with the relieved crew of HMS Empress of India and invalids and prisoners from the Mediterranean Station.

[3] Later the same month she was sent to Australia with Captain Thomas Philip Walker and a crew, to relieve the crew on HMS Royal Arthur, flagship of the Australia Station.

[4] She returned to Plymouth with the former crew of Royal Arthur in June 1901,[5] and was paid off at Devonport on 15 July 1901 to be refitted.

[6] She was later converted to a destroyer depot ship in 1907, serving through World War I as depot ship to the 11th Destroyer Flotilla of the Grand Fleet, and was finally sold for scrapping on 9 June 1922.