Her career was cut short by a German cruiser sinking her off the Pacific coast of Mexico in September 1914.

The Wallsend shipyard launched Cordelia in April 1912, Rosalind in March 1913 and Elsinore in November 1913.

Bowring's was to provide a "good British Tank Steamer, to be built....and estimated to have a total deadweight carrying capacity of about 9,700 tons".

Union Oil would charter her from Bowring's for seven years for £2,850 per calendar month, starting from her date of delivery.

[8] The builders delivered Elsinore to the Bear Creek Oil and Shipping Co early in December 1913.

[13] There Elsinore loaded 57,000 barrels of fuel oil and left for Chile on 21 April,[14] arriving in Antofagasta on 4 May.

[19] On 22 August Elsinore loaded 60,000 barrels of fuel oil in Port San Luis: 35,000 for Guatemala, and 25,000 for Nicaragua.

[8] In August the Admiralty had given her Master appropriate directions, and she sailed with reduced lights, but he chose to cut straight across the Gulf of California instead of keeping in Mexican territorial waters as long as possible.

At 2:30,[clarification needed] about 73 nautical miles (135 km) southwest of Cape Corrientes in approximate position 19°39′N 106°46′W / 19.650°N 106.767°W / 19.650; -106.767, Leipzig sighted Elsinore at short distance and ordered her to stop.

[22][23][21] Leipzig put Elsinore's crew ashore on one of the Galápagos Islands, whence they travelled to Guayaquil, arriving on 2 October.