In late 1899 she had a refit, and when completed in early February 1900 she was placed in the A division of the Devonport Fleet reserve.[1] From 1907 she was placed on harbour duty. In 1921 she became part of the Royal Navy torpedo school at Devonport, HMS Defiance, which was based in floating obsolete ships, and named for the first ship which had housed the school. Spartan became Defiance II in August 1921. She was sold for scrapping on 26 June 1931.