The fourth USS Baltimore (C-3) (later CM-1) was a United States Navy cruiser, the fifth protected cruiser to be built by an American yard. Like the previous one, , the design was commissioned from the British company of W. Armstrong, Mitchell, and Company of Newcastle. Baltimore was an all-around improvement on Charleston, somewhat larger with more guns, thicker armor, and better machinery.
Design
Baltimore was built to plans purchased from Armstrong, a British manufacturer, which were similar to an unsuccessful Armstrong bid for the Spanish cruiser Reina Regente.
Baltimore was armed with four /35 caliber Mark 4 guns in sponsons on either side of the bow and stern, and six /30 caliber Mark 3 guns in sponsons along the sides. Secondary armament was four 6-pounder () guns, two 3-pounder () Hotchkiss revolving cannon, two 1-pounder () Hotchkiss revolving cannon, and two .45 caliber (11.4 mm) Gatling guns. and was later adopted as the US Navy standard.
Refits
Baltimore was rebuilt between 1900 and 1903 with the armament replaced by 12 /40 caliber Mark 7 guns,
Pre-Spanish–American War
Baltimore became the flagship of the North Atlantic Squadron on 24 May 1890, and, from 15 to 23 August, conveyed the remains of the late Captain John Ericsson from New York City to Filipstad in Värmland, Sweden.
After cruising in European and Mediterranean waters with the European Squadron, she arrived at Valparaíso, Chile on 7 April 1891 to join the Pacific Squadron. She protected American citizens during the Chile revolution and landing men at Valparaíso on 28 August. Her activities in Chile around this time became known as the Baltimore Crisis where two United States Navy sailors from its crew were stabbed in front of the True Blue Saloon on 16 October 1891. Arriving at the Mare Island Navy Yard on 5 January 1892, she cruised on the west coast of the U.S. until 7 October and then returned to the Atlantic. She took part in the naval rendezvous and review in Hampton Roads during March and April 1893, prior to the World's Columbian Exposition. Proceeding via the Suez Canal, she cruised as flagship of the Asiatic Station from 22 December 1893 to 3 December 1895, protecting American interests. Returning to Mare Island on 21 January 1896, she went out of commission on 17 February. When the American forces arrived, General Delgado already occupied the city in the name of the Federal State of the Visayas.
On 28 September, Baltimore sailed from Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands back to the U.S. She carried out mining experiments in the vicinity of the Virgin Islands until the end of the year.