The ships steamed to the ports of Haifa and Jaffa in July 1877, but found no significant tensions ashore. Batsch then departed and cruised the Mediterranean for the remainder of the summer, returning to Germany in October. On the way back, Preussen stopped in La Goulette, French Tunisia, by herself. She was badly damaged by severe weather on the way back to Germany, and after arriving 21 October, was dry-docked for repairs. She remained in commission, but had her crew reduced while the work was being carried out. In April 1878, Preussen participated in the fleet maneuvers, again under Batsch's command. By this time, she was joined by her two sister ships, Friedrich der Grosse and Grosser Kurfürst. The Ironclad Squadron was then to take a training cruise to the Mediterranean. After departing Germany on 29 May, the squadron proceeded through the English Channel, where the armored frigate accidentally rammed Grosser Kurfürst; the latter quickly sank with the loss of 276 men. Preussen did not immediately begin rescue operations, and instead steered a wide circle before anchoring some away; she only picked up two men who had first been rescued by a British fishing trawler. Preussen then escorted the damaged König Wilhelm to Portsmouth, where the Royal Navy made available a dry dock for emergency repairs. Albrecht von Stosch, the chief of the Kaiserliche Marine, ordered Batsch and his staff to return to Germany immediately aboard Preussen, escorted by Falke. The ships got underway on 3 Juneand arrived in Wilhelmshaven two days later; from there, they proceeded to Kiel, where they arrived on 10 June. Preussens commander came under criticism for his failure to assist in the rescue operations directly, but he defended himself by arguing that he had followed the relevant regulations and that he could not have brought his vessel closer owing to the number of smaller fishing vessels in the area. Stosch accepted the explanation, but an inquiry led by KAdm Reinhold von Werner came to the opposite conclusion, which became part of a major controversy in the German naval command and eventually resulted in Werner's forced retirement. The Mediterranean cruise was immediately cancelled, and within a week, the annual summer maneuvers for 1878 were also canceled. Preussen took on a contingent of naval cadets for a short training cruise in the Baltic, and later joined the screw corvette for a training cruise with Prince Heinrich of