In late April 1914, under the command of Lieutenant Allen B. Reed, "Iris" along with five torpedo boats from the Pacific Fleet Torpedo Flotilla, were ordered to the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez following the Tampico Affair. They patrolled the vicinity of La Paz and Mazatlan, Mexico, during the ongoing civil unrest there. During May and June 1914, "Iris" evacuated American citizen refugees from Mazatlan and Acapulco, including the American consul, Hon. Clement S. Edwards. On 19 June, "Iris" departed Mazatlan for La Paz, Mexico. "Iris" departed La Paz for San Diego on 28 August. After arriving back to San Diego, "Iris" spent the next few months on regular patrol duty with the torpedo ships in her squadron, primarily operating off the coast of California between San Pedro and San Diego.