HMS Edinburgh was an ironclad battleship of the Colossus class which served in the Royal Navy of the Victorian era.

Edinburgh was the first British battleship since HMS Warrior, launched in 1860, to carry breech-loading artillery as part of her main armament.

In this ship the conning tower was positioned forward of the foremast for good all-round vision; the chart-house was, however, placed on its roof, and the whole area surrounded by small guns, stanchions and other obstructions to the view.

The problem was not solved until the political will to build larger ships in turn allowed more space for command facilities.

Her propulsion system consisted of two 3-cylinder marine steam engines powered by ten coal-fired fire-tube boilers, which were vented through a single large funnel located amidships.

[1][2] The ship was armed with a main battery of four BL 12-inch (305 mm) breech-loading guns in twin-gun turrets, which were placed en echelon amidships, fore and aft of the funnel.

Fitting-out work was completed the following year, less her armament, allowing the ship to begin sea trials on 11 September that continued into 1884.

[4] Edinburg was thereafter assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet, where she served until 1894, when she was reduced to service as a coastguard ship at Hull and later Queensferry from 1894 to 1897.

She was assigned to Group 1 of the fleet, which also included her sister ship Colossus, the recently completed pre-dreadnought battleship Barfleur, and the ironclads Alexandra, Benbow, and Inflexible, and the protected cruiser St George.

At that time, the capital ships assigned to the fleet included Colossus, Alexandra, Benbow, and the ironclad Dreadnought.The ships were mobilised at Torbay in early August, went to sea on the 8th, and carried out various training exercises, including shooting practice and tactical manoeuvres, before returning to port on 20 August.

[1] During this period, on 26 June 1897, Edinburgh was present for the fleet review held for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

Edinburgh was assigned to the 2nd Division, along with the ironclads Sans Pareil and Thunderer and the armoured cruisers Warspite and Aurora.