The British naval attache to the Ottoman Empire at the time estimated that the Imperial Arsenal would take six months to get just five of the ironclads ready to go to sea. Throughout this period, the ship's crew was limited to about one-third the normal figure.
The British naval representative to the Ottoman Empire at the time estimated that the Imperial Arsenal would take six months to prepare just five of the ironclads for deployment. During this period, the ship's crew was reduced to about one-third of its normal size.