Nyora kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - "Pfeil" akashanda mumabasa akasiyana-siyana mubasa rake refu muzvikepe zveGermany. Iye pakutanga akavhiyiwa pamwe nokudzidzisa dzechikwata mukupera 1880s, kuitisa kurovedza uye kudzidzisa cruises. Mukupera kwa1888, akapiwa basa rekusimbisa East Africa Squadron ipapo pakati pekudzvinyirira kupandukira kwaAbushiri
mukurwisana nokutonga kwehurumende yeGermany muEast Africa. Yakabatsira kuvhara mhenderekedzo yegungwa, yakapa varume kuti vaende kunoburitsa zvikepe, uye yakarwisa mabhomba mauto evapanduki. Akashanda pamwe Maneuver Squadron kuburikidza 1890s uye akaona basa somunhu hove dziviriro chikepe uye kudzidzisa chikepe nokuda injini mukamuri vashandi.