Only about three years after commissioning, Shah was serving as Admiral de Horsey's Pacific Squadron flagship when she and the corvette Amethyst fought the Peruvian turret ship Huáscar at Pacocha. The unarmoured British ships had to stay outside Huáscar's turret guns because a damaging hit could be disastrous. Shah could make about 16 knots under steam, but the smaller Peruvian ship manoeuvred more freely in shallow water. Shah launched the first self-propelled torpedo fired in anger, but it missed. The British force failed to contain Huáscar despite its apparent advantages in speed and firepower.
Chapter · 22:15-23:18
HMS Shah at the Battle of Pacocha
Shah and Amethyst faced the Peruvian turret ship Huáscar in shallow water at Pacocha, where Shah launched the first self-propelled torpedo fired in anger and missed.