Repeated flagship service shows that Inconstant's usefulness extended beyond her paper specifications. Her speed, sailing endurance, and behaviour at sea suited a Detached Squadron expected to range around the world. Distant stations and open oceans gave an unarmoured cruiser room to manoeuvre and reduced the likelihood of meeting protected and armoured ships she could not safely fight. Such deployments used mobility and presence while limiting exposure to opponents that could exploit her lack of protection.
Notable Point · 18:34-19:43
Why Inconstant made sense on distant ocean stations
The ship's speed and ocean mobility were useful abroad, where she was less likely to meet newer protected or armoured cruisers.