An Elswick export cruiser for Romania

Elisabeta was ordered and laid down in 1887, then launched that December. Completion came in September 1888 and commissioning in October. The rapid schedule pointed to foreign construction, and Armstrong Whitworth built her at its Elswick yard. Romania bought established British shipbuilding capacity rather than first creating a domestic cruiser-building system. Her long service and varied duties support the assessment that this modest imported warship was good value for money.