"Jingyuan" and "Laiyuan" were second in displacement after the Beiyang Fleet battleships and , but were deficient in speed and in firepower, where compared with temporary vessels, such as the British-built Elswick cruisers.Although its armor belt gave "Laiyuan" an advantage over non-protected vessels, its two-inch lacquered teak deck made it flammable in the event of a battle.