 The warship engaged in continuous patrol operations between Ichang and Chungking throughout 1923, supplying armed guards to merchant ships, and protecting Americans at Chungking while that city was under siege by a warlord army.The British Royal Navy had a series of Insect-class gunboats which patrolled between Chungking and Shanghai.Cruisers and destroyers and Fly-class gunboats also patrolled.