The vessel was built by Crescent Shipyard, Elizabeth, New Jersey as the American steam yacht Columbia, the second yacht of that name built for J. Harvey Ladew of New York, and modeled on the United States Coast Survey steamer that had been built in the same yard.[REF]
She was acquired by the RCN in July 1915 along with the yacht Waterus from the New York shipbrokers Cox and Stevens for $155,000.