[2] The two 3-cylinder vertical triple-expansion steam engines and five Scotch boilers, connected to two propeller shafts, produced a total of 11,674 indicated horsepower (8,705 kW), and gave a maximum speed of 16.816 knots (19.352 mph; 31.143 km/h).

Admiral William Sims claimed that as a result, a shell fired into the port could reach the magazines below, disabling the guns.

There were ten 30-foot (9.1 m) boats: four cutters, each with a capacity of 45 men, the Admiral's barge, two whaleboats (which served as lifeboats), and the Captain's gig.

[8] Kearsarge was authorized on 2 March 1895,[9] the contract for her construction was awarded on 2 January 1896,[10] and the keel of the vessel was laid down on 30 June 1896 by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company in Virginia.

[19] She was visited by Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany on 25 June,[20] and by the Prince of Wales – who would later become King George V of the United Kingdom – on 13 July.

[31] On 13 April 1906, while participating in an exercise off Cape Cruz, Cuba, the gunpowder in a 13-inch gun ignited accidentally, killing two officers and eight men.

[32][33] Attached to the Fourth Division of the Second Squadron,[34] and under command of Captain Hamilton Hutchins,[35] she sailed on 16 December 1907 with the Great White Fleet.

[38] From there she passed by the west coast of South America, visiting Punta Arenas[39] and Valparaíso, Chile,[40] Callao, Peru,[41] and Magdalena Bay, Mexico.

[47] Kearsarge departed Albany, Western Australia, on 18 September for ports in the Philippine Islands, Japan, China, and Ceylon before transiting the Suez Canal.

[4] Until the United States joined World War I, she trained naval militia from Massachusetts and Maine.

During the war she was used to train Armed Guard crews and naval engineers during cruises along the Atlantic seaboard.

[16] On 18 August 1918 Kearsarge rescued 26 survivors of the Norwegian barque Nordhav which had been sunk by U-117, bringing them to Boston.

[10][9] Kearsarge was converted into a crane ship, and was given hull classification symbol IX-16 on 17 July 1920,[55] but it was changed to AB-1 on 5 August.

[53][a] Her turrets, superstructure, and armor were removed, and were replaced by a large revolving crane with a lifting capacity of 250 tons (230 tonnes), as well as 10-foot (3.0 m) blisters, which improved her stability.

[54] She continued her service, however, handling guns, turrets, armor, and other heavy lifts for vessels such as Indiana,[57] Alabama, Savannah, Chicago, and Pennsylvania.

[4] She was transferred to the San Francisco Naval Shipyard in 1945, where she participated in the construction of Hornet and Boxer and the re-construction of Saratoga.