It drove a screw propeller and was rated to produce a top speed of 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph),[1] from 220 metric horsepower (217 ihp).

A refit in 1870 saw her armament reduced to eight 16 cm smoothbore guns in the battery, though she retained the upper deck howitzers.

[1] The keel for San Giovanni was laid down in 1848 at the Cantiere della Foce shipyard in Genoa for the Royal Sardinian Navy.

Persano claimed he was simply waiting on the ironclad ram Affondatore, en route from Britain, but his inaction weakened morale in the fleet, with many of his subordinates openly accusing him of cowardice.

[8] Rear Admiral Wilhelm von Tegetthoff brought the Austrian fleet to Ancona on June 27, in attempt to draw out the Italians.

Persano held a council of war aboard the ironclad Principe di Carignano to determine whether he should sortie to engage Tegetthoff, but by that time, the Austrians had withdrawn, making the decision moot.

The Minister of the Navy, Agostino Depretis, urged Persano to act and suggested the island of Lissa, to restore Italian confidence after their defeat at the Battle of Custoza the previous month.

[10] Albini was responsible for transporting and landing the Italian army forces that were to seize the island of Lissa though he failed to follow his orders.

[11] After the initial attack, Albini held a council of war aboard his flagship that determined further attempts to land troops on the island would be unsuccessful and would only incur further damage to his ships.