[2] Lord Warden had a low centre of gravity which meant that she rolled very badly; she was said to be second only to her sister as the worst roller in the Victorian fleet.

[6] The engine produced 6,706 indicated horsepower (5,001 kW) during sea trials on 13 September 1867 which gave Lord Warden a speed of 13.5 knots (25.0 km/h; 15.5 mph) under steam.

[7] Lord Warden was ship-rigged with three masts and had a sail area of 31,000 square feet (2,900 m2).

It had a muzzle velocity of 1,420 ft/s (430 m/s) and was rated with the ability to penetrate 11.3 inches (287 mm) of wrought-iron armour.

The eight-inch gun weighed nine long tons (9.1 t); it fired a 175-pound (79.4 kg) shell at a muzzle velocity of 1,410 ft/s (430 m/s) and was credited with the ability to penetrate 9.6 inches (244 mm) of armour.

The seven-inch gun weighed 6.5 long tons (6.6 t) and fired a 112-pound (50.8 kg) shell that was able penetrate 7.7-inch (196 mm) of armour.

[14] The ship was commissioned in July 1867 to run her sea trials and completed on 30 August,[13] for the cost of £328,998,[15] or £322,843, exclusive of armament.

[16] After a few months service with the Channel Squadron, Lord Warden was posted to the Mediterranean.

[17] On 30 January 1868, the wooden steam frigate HMS Endymion was caught by a squall whilst taking up her berth in Valletta Harbour, Malta.

[19] Lord Warden relieved HMS Caledonia as the squadron flagship in 1869 and served in this position until 1875.

During the Russo-Turkish War, she was mobilised and assigned to the Particular Service Squadron formed from all of the ships of the First Reserve, due to concerns that the victorious Russians might be about to attack Constantinople, forcing Great Britain to intervene, but nothing transpired and the ship returned to the Forth after making her summer cruise to Ireland and participating in a fleet review of the Particular Service Squadron by Queen Victoria on 13 August 1878.