Zaragoza was ordered by the Mexican government, and built in 1891 by the French Société Nouvelle des Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée shipyard at Le Havre.

[1] The corvette was commissioned in France by Commodore Ángel Ortiz Monasterio, who sailed her across the Atlantic on her maiden voyage, arriving at Veracruz on 13 February 1892.

At the Spanish port of Palos de la Frontera, from where the Pinta, Niña, and Santa María sailed in 1492, she attended the commemorations of the fourth centenary of the discovery of the Americas.

After visiting San Francisco she sailed west across the Pacific, calling at Hawaii, Japan and Hong Kong, before stopping at Singapore, India and Egypt.

[1] During the Mexican Revolution Zaragoza served under the constitutional government of President Francisco I. Madero and assisted in suppressing the revolt led by Félix Díaz.