Cataluña was 110.97 metres (364ft 1in) long and had a beam of 18.59 metres (61ft 0in), a draft of 6.61 metres (21ft 8in), and a displacement of 6,888 tons.[1] She had reciprocatingsteam engines rated at 14,800 indicated horsepower (11,036kW) driving two shafts, giving her a top speed of 20 knots (37km/h; 23mph).[1] Her main armament consisted of two 9.4-inch (239mm) guns mounted in single turrets.[1] Her secondary armament consisted of eight 5.5-inch (140mm) guns on single mounts.[1]
The Princesa de Asturias-class ships in essence were modernized Infanta Maria Teresa-classcruisers with more modern and better-balanced armament,[1] but like the Infanta Maria Teresa-class ships their armour coverage was not comprehensive, and the ships were poorly armoured by the standards of their time. Cataluña had belt armour of 11.88 inches (30.2cm), conning tower and barbette armour of 7.88 inches (20.0cm), 3.88-inch (9.9cm)turret armour, and 2.25-inch (5.7cm)deck armour.[1]
Due to unrest in Morocco, Cataluña subsequently headed from Cartagena to the coast of North Africa to anchor at Larache, where several of the incidents had occurred.[2] She later moved to Tétouan, where she rendezvoused with Princesa de Asturias.[2] She anchored alone at Larache again before Princesa de Asturias replaced her there in late August 1908.[2]
In October 1908, Cataluña and the destroyerAudaz made a voyage from Cádiz to Barcelona, which they reached on 17October.[2]Princesa de Asturias and the armored cruiser Emperador Carlos V joined them on 18October, also arriving from Cádiz.[2] On 21October 1908, a French squadron arrived, and the Spanish and French ships remained at Barcelona during the visit there of King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenie.[2] The Spanish ships departed Barcelona on 8November 1908, Cataluña proceeding to Alicante for a several-day visit while the rest headed for Cartagena.[2]
When King Alfonso XIII visited Melilla on the coast of North Africa on 8January 1911, Cataluña was part of the Spanish Navy squadron charged with escorting his royal yacht, Giralda. When troops of the Spanish Army and Spanish Marine Infantry occupied Larache on 8June 1911, Cataluña and several transports transported them and protected their landing and occupation of the town[2] in the run-up to the beginning of the Kert campaign.
King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenie attended a naval parade in Santander on 12July 1912 in which sailors and marine infantrymen from Cataluña, Emperador Carlos V, and Princesa de Asturias participated.[2] On 20September 1912 Cataluña departed Ferrol and proceeded to Cádiz with the Training Squadron.[2] She conducted gunnery exercises off Torre García between 13 and 16 March 1913, making port at Cádiz when they concluded.[2] With other ships of the Training Squadron, she steamed from Cádiz to Ferrol in early May 1913 to attend the launching of the battleship Alfonso XIII,[2] which took place on 7May.
Cataluña operated against Rifian forces in Morocco during the Rif War of 1921–1926. In 1924 Rifian forces at M'Ter fired at her, and as she returned fire a gun exploded on her deck, killing one of her officers.[2] After the patrol boatLarache — under Capitán de corbeta (Corvette Captain) Francisco Moreno Fernández, a future almirante (admiral) — encountered a strong storm in the Mediterranean on 18November 1924 after departing Ceuta and reported dangerous flooding in hurricane-force winds and waves at least 9 metres (30 feet) in height, Cataluña and the battleship Alfonso XIII attempted to come to her assistance, but the severe weather prevented them from reaching her; nonetheless, Larache finally moored safely at Almería on 21November after 76 hours in the storm.[3] At the end of 1924 Cataluña entered dry dock at Matagorda, Spain, for careening.[2]
Chesneau, Roger, and Eugene M. Kolesnik, Eds. Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. New York, New York: Mayflower Books Inc., 1979. ISBN0-8317-0302-4.
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