During Eries initial sea trials her propulsion system did suffer some malfunctions, but overall the trials were generally satisfactory. After a few repairs Erie ran her formal power trials on 26 August, and with further tests and trials performed at sea and in port, the vessel wase fitted out and prepared for a shakedown cruise to Europe. Eries six-inch guns and their blast shields were mounted by the first week of October, and on 19 October, she departed for a cruise to the Norfolk Naval Operating Base. Erie was directed to participate in two ceremonies in late October. The first was Navy Day festivities in New York Harbor, from 25 to 27 October. Erie, the heavy cruisers and , and the destroyers and held open houses for the general public, while docked in the Yard. The second was on 28 October, for a fiftieth anniversary ceremony commemorating the dedication of the Statue of Liberty. Indianapolis and Erie greeted President Franklin D. Roosevelt with twenty-one gun salutes as he approached Bedloe's Island and as he departed. Erie then returned to the Yard to make final preparations for her departure on 31 October, for her shakedown cruise. Design and armament Erie was long at the waterline with an overall length of , her beam was and a mean draft of . Her standard displacement was and at full load. Her crew during peacetime consisted of 213 officers and enlisted men. Erie was powered by two Parsons geared single reduction steam turbines, each driving one screw, using steam generated by two Babcock & Wilcox boilers. The engines were designed to produce and reach a top speed of . She was designed to provide a range of at a speed of . Eries main armament were four /47 caliber guns, two mounted forward and two mounted aft. She had two 3-pounder ()/47 cal. saluting guns, and four Browning machine guns, though only temporary, while waiting for the /75 cal. guns to be produced. She was also armed with Mark 6 Depth charge racks (each holding 15 depth charges). The ship lacked a full-length waterline armor belt, vital areas were protected by of armor. The conning tower was protected by of armor, and the deck had of armor. The gunshields were only thick. Erie carried one floatplane aboard that was stored just aft of the smokestack on a raised deck. Initially this was a Curtiss