With orders from the Spanish government to capture two Peruvian ironclad warships, Independencia and Huáscar, as they made their delivery voyages from France to South America, and the Chilean screw corvettes Cyclone and Tornado as they attempted to make their delivery voyages from the United Kingdom to South America, Gerona departed from Cádiz early on the morning of 20 August 1866, arriving off Madeira, near Funchal, Portugal, on 22 August.

[2][4] As she approached the anchorage at 18:15, she sighted a suspicious steamer weighing anchor and apparently getting ready to put to sea.

The steamer took a suspicious route, first keeping as close as possible to the northwest coast of Madeira as far as Ponta do Tristão, where she steered northward toward the open sea.

MacPherson was brought aboard Gerona, where he displayed an insolent attitude and answered questions in an insulting way, prompting Ruiz de la Escalera to upbraid him.

MacPherson and his crew were placed in chains and treated with great severity both aboard Gerona and after their disembarkation at Cádiz.

[9] After the conclusion of the Chincha Islands War, Gerona began a tour of duty with the Mediterranean Squadron under the overall command of Contralmiramte (Counter Admiral) Juan Bautista Antequera y Bobadilla.

[2] In September 1868, the Glorious Revolution against the rule of Queen Isabella II broke out in Spain and Antequera received orders to take his squadron from Cartagena to Cádiz to support Teniente general (Lieutenant General) Antonio Caballero y Fernández de Rodas, whose forces were fighting against the rebels.

[2] It got back underway on 30 January 1869 and proceeded to Santa Pola, where it remained for about three months while politicians discussed a new constitution.

[2] Meanwhile, the Ten Years' War broke out in the Captaincy General of Cuba in 1868, pitting Spanish forces against insurgents of the Cuban Liberation Army.

[2] As part of the Training Squadron, Gerona participated in maneuvers off Galicia on 9 August 1881 presided over by King Alfonso XII and Queen Maria Christina.

[2] On 13 August the king and queen embarked on the armoured frigate Sagunto to head for La Coruña escorted by the rest of the squadron.

[2] The king and queen embarked on the gunboat Pelícano, and the squadron arrived at Bayonne in southwestern France on 25 August.

[2] The squadron continued to escort the king and queen as they visited the Galician estuaries and was present at the laying of the keel of the unprotected cruiser Reina Cristina at Ferrol, Spain, on 12 August 1881.

[2] Amid tensions with the German Empire over control of the Caroline Islands in the Spanish East Indies, the squadron assembled at Mahón on Menorca in the Balearic Islands on 18 March 1886 with orders to prepare to steam to the Pacific Ocean to defend the Carolines, as well to prepare to defend the Balearics in case Germany tried to seize them as a bargaining chip in peace talks.