HMS Sultan was a broadside ironclad of the Royal Navy of the Victorian era, who carried her main armament in a central box battery.

The hull had one of the roundest amidships cross-section ever adopted at the time of her launch, and this and the low metacentric height of only three feet made her a very steady gun platform.

It was soon found, however, that she lacked adequate stability - in naval parlance she was "tender" - and some six hundred tons of extra ballast had to be inserted into her double bottom.

She was refitted, being reduced to barque rig, and posted to the Mediterranean under the command of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh.

[4] On 6 March 1889 she grounded on an uncharted rock in the Comino Channel between Malta and Gozo, ripping her bottom open.

[8][10][11] At natural draught, on trial in late May 1895, these made 6,531 indicated horsepower (4,870 kW) giving an average speed 14.6 knots (16.8 mph; 27.0 km/h).

[9][10] On a four-hour trial, with forced draught, she made an average of 15.3 knots (17.6 mph; 28.3 km/h), for a power of 8,244 indicated horsepower (6,148 kW).

[9] The Engineer criticised the decision to retain the muzzle-loading guns, saying that "So much money has been spent on this ship since she was brought home from the Comino Channel that one would like to see a better result.