Cerberus was laid down in 1867, launched in 1868, and completed in August 1870. Her low, flat-bottomed hull echoed later American Monitor designs and suited service close to shore. The same concentrated weight that made her powerful also contributed to poor behaviour in open water. Contemporary descriptions called her the latest word in naval architecture and, on entering service, the most powerful vessel in the southern seas. Those claims make more sense when judged against her harbour-defence role than against an ocean-going cruiser.
Notable Point · 2:15-3:49
A Monitor-influenced design for coastal defence
Cerberus adapted features of later American Monitor designs to a heavy, flat-bottomed vessel intended for coastal waters.