Galatea had a length between perpendiculars of 300 feet (91.4 m), a beam of 56 feet (17.1 m) and a draught of 24 feet (7.3 m). Designed to displace 5,040 long tons (5,120 t), all of the Orlando-class ships proved to be overweight and displaced approximately 5,535 long tons (5,624 t). The ship was powered by a pair of three-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one shaft, which were designed to produce a total of 8,500 indicated horsepower (6,300 kW) and a maximum speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) using steam provided by four boilers with forced draught. The ship carried a maximum of 900 long tons (910 t) of coal which was designed to give her a range of 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). The ship's complement was 484 officers and ratings.[1]
The ship was protected by a waterlinecompound armourbelt 10 inches (254 mm) thick. It covered the middle 200 feet (61.0 m) of the ship and was 5 feet 6 inches (1.7 m) high.[1] Because the ship was overweight, the top of the armour belt was 2 feet (0.61 m) below the waterline when she was fully loaded.[2] The ends of the armour belt were closed off by transverse bulkheads 16 inches (406 mm). The lower deck was 2–3 inches (51–76 mm) thick over the full length of the hull. The conning tower was protected by 12 inches (305 mm) of armour.[1]
She held a continuous commission as coast guard ship at Humber district based at Hull from 3 May 1893 until February 1903.[5] On 12 May 1894, a six-pounder blank round exploded when Galatea was saluting ships of the German fleet at Firth of Forth. One of the ship's crew was killed and another badly injured, having to have an arm amputated.[6] On the night of 10/11 February 1898, Galatea was at anchor on the Humber when the steamer Marbella, carrying a cargo of racehorses, collided with the cruiser. The steamer sank within ten minutes, but Marbella's crew and the single passenger safely evacuated to Galatea before the steamer sank, although all the racehorses were lost.[7] Captain Charles Henry Cross was appointed in command in September 1898, and was briefly succeeded by Captain Richard William White in March–April 1900,[8] during which she escorted the royal yacht Victoria and Albert with Queen Victoria on a visit to Ireland.[9] From April that year Captain Robert Dalrymple Barwick Bruce was in command. She was under the command of Captain Robert Stevenson Dalton Cuming from February 1902 until February 1903,[10] during which she took part in the fleet review held at Spithead on 16 August 1902 for the coronation of King Edward VII,[11] and visited Copenhagen the following month.[12]
