Bussard-class cruiser was present in the Caribbean during the Spanish–American War in 1898, though she took no active role in the conflict. Between 1898 and 1900, "Bussard" and "Seeadler" were modernized in Germany. In 1900, "Seeadler" participated in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion in China, including a blockade of the Chinese coast. In December 1902, "Falke" and the protected cruiser joined British forces in the Venezuela Crisis of 1902–03 after Venezuelan forces seized a British merchant ship. The two cruisers helped British warships bombard Venezuelan coastal fortifications and blockade the coast. "Cormoran" and "Geier" were modernized between 1907 and 1909; only
Japanese cruiser Mikuma as was transport "Ryujo Maru" with IJA 16th Army commander Lieutenant General Hitoshi Imamura—although the general survived the sinking. In March, "Mikuma" and Cruiser Division 7 were based at Singapore to cover Japanese landings in Sumatra and the seizure of the Andaman Islands. From 1 April 1942 Cruiser Division 7 based from Mergui joined with Cruiser Division 4 to participate in the Indian Ocean raids. "Mikuma", "Mogami" and destroyer detached and formed the Southern Group, which hunted for merchant shipping in the Bay of Bengal, while "Chōkai", Destroyer Squadron 4's light cruiser and destroyers , , and covered the northern