 The ship 's first posting was to the Channel Fleet , where she remained until 1873 . Her first captain , Roderick Dew , had all of her yards painted black so that she could be visually distinguished from her half @-@ sisters , whose yards were white . During this time she helped her half @-@ sister Agincourt tow a floating drydock from England to Madeira where it would be picked up by Warrior and Black Prince and taken to Bermuda . The ships departed the Nore on 23 June 1869 , loaded down with 500 long tons ( 510 t ) of coal stowed in bags on their gun decks , and transferred the floating dock 11 days later after an uneventful voyage . She was anchored at Funchal , Madeira , on Christmas Day 1872 , when a storm parted her anchor chain and the ship drifted onto the ram bow of the ironclad Hercules . Northumberland was seriously damaged below the waterline , with one compartment flooded , though she was able to steam to Malta for repairs . 
