[citation needed] La Argentina was a steam corvette rigged as a barque, with a steel hull covered in wood and copper.

In 1884 is inspected by the Argentine Navy commodore Clodomiro Urtubey who recommends its purchase as training ship for the Escuela Naval Militar.

On 24 February 1883 the Argentine representative to Europe, Dr. Miguel Cané, signed a £ 25,000 contract with shipyard Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino, for the completion of the ship under the name La Argentina.

In 1889 it was assigned to the Corvette Division; on 27 November saluted the newly created flag of the Republic of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, after the Emperor Dom Pedro II was deposed.

[1] La Argentina sailed 5 training cruises with cadets of the Argentine Navy Academy, until being replaced by the steam frigate ARA Presidente Sarmiento in 1897.