 In 1898 , Bussard returned to Germany , arriving in the Elbe River in March . On the return voyage , she carried several tropical birds for the Berlin Zoological Garden . After her arrival , Bussard went into drydock at the Kaiserliche Werft in Danzig for reconstruction . The barque rig was cut down to a top @-@ sail schooner rig . A new , larger conning tower structure was built . Work was completed by 1900 , when Bussard returned to service . She was sent to China in response to the Boxer Rebellion earlier that year . While en route to China on 6 August 1900 , a boiler room exploded aboard Bussard , due to a blown out manhole gasket ; the explosion killed three sailors and seriously wounded another three men . After arriving in China , Bussard took part in the attack on the Taku Forts , along with her sisters Seeadler and Geier . Her crew suffered no casualties during the campaign . 
