 Bussard was laid down at the Kaiserliche Werft (Imperial Shipyard) in Danzig under the contract name "C". She was launched on 23 January 1890; fitting-out work was completed quickly, and the new cruiser was ready for commissioning into the Imperial fleet on 7 October 1890. She thereafter served on overseas stations in the German Empire. Early in her career, Bussard served on the East Asia Station with the East Asia Division. In July 1893, she and her sister ship Falke assisted in the suppression of a local revolt led by Mata 'afa Iosefo in Samoa. They were joined by the old British corvette HMS Curacao, and the three vessels bombarded rebel positions on 7 July, forcing their surrender. Mata'afa was taken to Apia, the capital, while Bussard remained behind to ensure the demilitarization of his supporters.
