After getting underway again on the 17th, the ship suffered a boiler explosion that killed two men, forcing "Hansa" to return to Singapore. She then left for Amoy, China, on 26 October, where her sister and the armored cruiser arrived on 2 and 4 November, respectively. At that time, "Deutschland" served as the flagship of the squadron commander, ("VAdm"—Vice Admiral) Prince Heinrich of Prussia. "Hansa" replaced the elderly "Deutschland" as the deputy commander's flagship, and ("KAdm"—Rear Admiral) Ernst Fritze came aboard the ship on the 4th. "Hansa" sailed to Shanghai on 11 November, before returning south to Hong Kong on 2 December for a major engine overhaul that was completed on 28 December. Prince Heinrich departed with "Deutschland" for Germany on 4 January 1900, leaving Fritze in command of the unit aboard "Hansa" until "VAdm" Felix von Bendemann arrived 17 February, who made "Hertha" his flagship. After a cruise south to Singapore, "Hansa" arrived in Tsingtao in Germany's Kiautschou Bay concession in China on 15 March. Fritze left for Germany as well on 8 April, and his replacement, "KAdm" Hermann Kirchhoff arrived aboard "Hansa" in mid-July.