Ten sister third class protected cruisers were built — designed by Sir William White.

With reciprocating triple expansion engines and a variety of boilers, the top speed was 20 knots (37 km/h).

HMS Prometheus was laid down at Earle's Shipbuilding Company′s yard, Hull, Yorkshire in 1897, and launched on 20 October 1898, when she was christened by Lady Maclure, wife of Sir John Maclure, 1st Baronet, deputy chairman of Earle′s Company.

[1] She was moved to Sheerness Dockyard, Kent to be fitted with arms in 1899, completed in early January 1900 and transferred to the Medway Fleet Reserve,[2] from which she saw her first commission.

[7] She visited Souda Bay, Crete with other ships of the Channel squadron the following month.