▁but ▁B ism ar ck ▁negoti ated ▁her ▁transfer ▁before ▁her ▁arm ament ▁was ▁installed , ▁by ▁way ▁of ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁while ▁under ▁the ▁French ▁flag . ▁ ▁Both ▁ships ▁arrived ▁too ▁late ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 4 ▁to ▁see ▁action ▁against ▁Den mark , ▁and ▁they ▁did ▁not ▁see ▁action ▁against ▁the ▁Aust rian ▁Navy ▁during ▁the ▁Aust ro - Pr uss ian ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 6 6 , ▁since ▁the ▁Aust rian ▁fleet ▁was ▁occupied ▁with ▁the ▁Italian ▁fleet ▁in ▁the ▁Adri atic ▁Sea . ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 6 0 s , ▁both ▁ships ▁were ▁sent ▁to ▁Central ▁America , ▁where ▁August a ▁created ▁a ▁minor ▁diplom atic ▁incident ▁over ▁a ▁Pr uss ian ▁attempt ▁to ▁secure ▁a ▁naval ▁base ▁at ▁Puerto ▁Lim ón , ▁Costa ▁Rica , ▁which ▁the ▁Costa ▁R ican ▁government ▁refused ▁to ▁allow ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁viewed ▁as ▁an ▁enc ro achment ▁on ▁its ▁sphere ▁of ▁influence . ▁During ▁the ▁Franco - Pr uss ian ▁War ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 1 , ▁August a ▁was ▁used ▁to ▁attack ▁French ▁sh ipping ▁in ▁the ▁Atlantic , ▁capt uring ▁two ▁vessels ▁and ▁s inking ▁a ▁third ▁before ▁being ▁tra pped ▁in ▁V igo , ▁Spain , ▁by ▁a ▁French ▁squad ron . ▁The ▁two ▁ships ▁went ▁on ▁further ▁over se as ▁deploy ments ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 8 8 0 s , ▁and ▁while ▁on ▁a ▁voyage ▁to ▁East ▁Asia , ▁August a ▁was