Shannon could claim more capability than earlier second-class ironclads such as the Audacious and Swiftsure classes on a smaller displacement. Those ships were not purpose-built armoured cruisers, however, so the comparison set a misleadingly low standard. At roughly twelve and a quarter knots under favourable conditions, Shannon lacked the speed expected of a ship assigned to foreign stations, commerce protection, and commerce raiding. She could neither choose engagements reliably nor pursue the fast threats her cruiser role required her to counter.
Notable Point · 17:52-18:51
Too slow for the overseas cruiser role
Although intended as a foreign-station ironclad and cruiser, Shannon's roughly twelve-knot maximum undermined her ability to perform cruiser missions.