The ship was 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).

[4] In March 1900 she had successful machinery trials in the North Sea, and was transferred to the A division of the Medway Fleet Reserve.

[5] She was commissioned at Chatham on 21 May 1901 by Captain Sackville Carden as seagoing tender to the Wildfire, flagship at Sheerness.

[6] She took part in the fleet review held at Spithead on 16 August 1902 for the coronation of King Edward VII,[7] and two months later Captain Archibald Peile Stoddart succeeded Carden in command on 16 October 1902.