 After her commissioning , Königsberg served with the High Seas Fleet 's reconnaissance force . During this period , she frequently escorted Kaiser Wilhelm II 's yacht on visits to foreign countries . In April 1914 , the ship was sent on what was to have been a two @-@ year deployment to German East Africa , but this was interrupted by the outbreak of World War I in August of that year . Königsberg initially attempted to raid British and French commercial traffic in the region , but only destroyed one merchant ship in the course of her career . Coal shortages hampered her ability to attack shipping . On 20 September 1914 , she surprised and sank the British protected cruiser HMS Pegasus in the Battle of Zanzibar . 
