She was laid down on 9 June 1896 at the Barrow Shipbuilding Company shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness and launched on 23 November 1896. During her builder’s trials she made her contracted speed requirement. In 1897 during the construction of these ships, the Barrow Shipbuilding Company was purchases by Vickers, Sons and Maxim and renamed as the Naval Construction and Armaments Shipyard. She was completed and accepted by the Royal Navy in March 1900.