She was armed with a main battery of four 12-inch (305 mm) guns in two twin turrets, and was capable of a top speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph).

She served primarily on home waters, and participated in the Fleet Review for the Diamond Jubilee for Queen Victoria in 1897.

At the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 she was mobilized with three of her sister ships into the 9th Battle Squadron, though by January 1915 she was again withdrawn from front-line service.

After the end of the war she was renamed Indus II; plans to use her as a harbor ship were cancelled and, in April 1923, she was sold for scrap.

Her propulsion system consisted of two 3-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines powered by eight coal-fired, cylindrical fire-tube Scotch marine boilers.

[2] The ship was armed with a main battery of four BL 12-inch (305 mm) Mk VIII guns in twin-gun turrets, one forward and one aft.

[1] The barbettes for the main battery were protected with 14 in (356 mm) of armor, while the conning tower had the same thickness of steel on the sides.

Before leaving the United Kingdom, she was present at the Fleet Review at Spithead for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria on 26 June 1897.

Under the command of Captain Charles Henry Cross, she took part in combined manoeuvres off Cephalonia and Morea in late September and early October 1902.

She underwent a refit at Chatham in 1908[4] in which she was converted to burn fuel oil and had main battery fire control and radio installed.

[8] She damaged her sternwalk in a collision with her sister ship Majestic in fog on 14 July 1912 and began a short refit at Chatham in December 1913.

The Majestic-class ships were by then the oldest and least effective battleships in service in the Royal Navy; Victorious was laid up on the Tyne February until September 1915 and her 12-inch (305-mm) guns were removed for use aboard the new Lord Clive-class monitors Prince Rupert and General Wolfe.