Although engine problems plagued the submarine throughout her service, she was commissioned shortly after the start of the First World War in 1914, but never made an operational patrol.

The Board of Construction (Conseil des travaux) intended to order 20 submarines for the 1906 naval program, including two large long-range experimental boats, one of which was a design by naval constructor Pierre Marc Bourdelle using an unproven Sabathé-cycle diesel engine.

The board was preempted by Navy Minister (Ministre de la Marine) Gaston Thomson who opened a competition for submarines that were faster on the surface and with longer range than the preceding Pluviôse class on 6 February 1906.

Four designs were submitted, including Bourdelle's Amiral Bourgois, all of which were authorized by the board, along with 16 Brumaire-class submarines.

[2] On the surface, the boat was powered by a pair of four-cylinder Sabathé-cycle diesel engines built by Schneider et Cie, each driving one three-bladed, 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) propeller.

[2][8] The boat was commissioned on 7 August, shortly after the beginning of the First World War, and was assigned to the 2nd Light Squadron (2e Escadre légère) defending the English Channel.

By the time Amiral Bourgois was transferred from Rochefort to Cherbourg a month later, her diesel engines had only run for nine hours.

The vice admiral commanding the squadron commented on 11 April 1917 that the submarine was never available for operations and recommended that she be disposed of.

Amiral Bourgois struck a rock on the approaches to Brest on 15 May 1917 and a 65-millimetre (2.6 in) deck gun was installed on 10 August.