Hornby took HMS Alexandra as flagship when the Mediterranean crisis demanded both combat preparation and visible status. The central-battery ironclad carried two 11-inch and ten 10-inch rifled muzzle-loading guns, alongside six 20-pounder Armstrong rifled breech-loaders. Four torpedo carriages show how the ship launched torpedoes at the time. Alexandra's armament and protection made the deterrent signal credible, although the following crisis shows that even a powerful flagship could not compensate for contradictory political direction.
Notable Point · 50:22-52:16
HMS Alexandra made Hornby's Mediterranean signal credible
Alexandra's mixed heavy battery, armor, and early torpedo carriages gave Hornby a flagship whose material power supported the Mediterranean Fleet's diplomatic role.