Intended for service in the German colonial empire, the ship was designed with a combination of steam and sail power for extended range, and was equipped with a battery of ten 15-centimeter (5.9 in) guns.

Carola and her sister ships were intended to patrol Germany's colonial empire and safeguard German economic interests around the world.

[2][3] Carola was laid down at the AG Vulcan shipyard in Stettin in late 1879 under the contract designation "E", denoting a new addition to the fleet.

After completing fitting-out work, Carola was commissioned on 1 September 1881 for sea trials, though these lasted just two weeks, as the ship was needed in the central Pacific Ocean to protect German interests in the region.

Carola left Kiel on 18 October, bound for Australia; from there, she proceeded north to Apia in Samoa, where she relieved the gunboat Möwe on 15 April 1882.

After arriving, Carola took the German consul in Samoa on a tour of the islands to meet with the Samoan chiefs Malietoa Laupepa and Tupua Tamasese Titimaea.

The two ships returned to Matupi, and on 16 January 1883, Carola departed for Sydney, Australia, stopping in the Duke of York Islands on the way.

A week later, Hyäne arrived to relieve her, and Carola embarked the consul for a tour of Polynesia and Melanesia that concluded in Matupi in early August.

Carola departed and arrived in Kiel on 1 November, where she was inspected by General Leo von Caprivi, the new Chief of the Kaiserliche Admiralität (Imperial Admiralty).

From there, she sailed to Hong Kong, where on 14 August she rendezvoused with the German overseas cruiser squadron, which consisted of her sister ship Olga and the corvette Bismarck, the flagship of Konteradmiral (KAdm—Rear Admiral) Eduard von Knorr.

While they were waiting for the crisis to pass, Kapitän zur See (KzS—Captain at Sea) Karl Eduard Heusner arrived to replace Knorr, and Carola visited Angra Pequena again.

While there, men from Carola participated in a parade held for the celebration of British Queen Victoria's 40th year on the throne.

After emerging from the Sydney dry dock, the three corvettes sailed to Samoa, where they were sent to punish Malietoa Laupepa for threatening German interests in the islands.

The delay nevertheless allowed Olga time to rendezvous with the rest of the squadron while it waited for Carola to be ready for sea.

Believing that it posed no threat to them, they sailed close to Carola, allowing her to easily capture the slave ship.

Carola's marines took part in the occupation of Kunduchi on 27 March 1889, in a campaign led by Major Hermann Wissmann to suppress the Abushiri revolt.

[9] On 14 May, Carola left for Mahé in the Seychelles, as a significant number of her crew had contracted dysentery and needed time to rest and recover.

Carola was back in East African waters on 11 June, when she took part in the search for three steam ships that had been sent to support Wissmann's forces.

[9] Carola returned to operations against rebels in East Africa, bombarding Kilwa Kisiwani on 28 March and sending troops ashore to capture the town between 1 and 4 May.

She left Zanzibar on 20 January 1891 and was greeted by Kaiser Wilhelm II aboard the aviso Greif on arriving in Germany.

Carola and Mars served as target ships for the fleet in the North Sea in 1897, and she returned to gunnery training duties in 1898 and 1899.