The engines, situated in separate watertight compartments, were each fed by a pair of coal-fired boilers. Each boiler was horizontally mounted and was in diameter and in length with a total grate area of . Benningtons coal bunkers could carry up to of fuel, and were shielded from "shot and shell". At a near top-speed of 16 knots, the ship could cover in 6½ days; at the more economical speed of she could cruise over 62 days.
