Reina Mercedes, a 3042-ton Alfonso XII class cruiser, was launched at Cartagena, Spain, in September 1887. By 1898, she had become nearly inoperational and was stationed in Cuban waters. During the Spanish-American War, she acted as guardship at Santiago. Partially disarmed to provide guns for coast-defense batteries, she was scuttled to block the Santiago harbor entrance following the great naval battle of 3 July 1898. Raised by the U.S. Navy following the war, she became the USS Reina Mercedes. Never restored to operational condition, the ship was converted to a barracks ship. From 1912 until she was scrapped in 1957, she served as station ship at the U.S. Naval Academy.