Present at Papeete during a devastating hurricane in February 1906, Zélées commander was asked to assist with rescue efforts on the quarantine island of Motauta, but refused due to the high risk involved. Instead he lent the island's station master an open boat and left him with the task of finding men to man it.
At the outbreak of World War I, Zélée was stationed at Papeete and took part in the first French naval action of the war. The German cargo ship Walkure had been loading a cargo of phosphates at Makatea, an island from Tahiti. Zélée approached her, raised the French flag, and demanded her surrender. The German captain had not yet learned of the state of war between Germany and France and at first thought the entire situation was a joke and invited Zélées commanding officer aboard for dinner; instead, Zélée took Walkure as a prize and brought her back to Tahiti.
On 22 September 1914, the Imperial German Navy armoured cruisers and entered the port of Papeete. They sank Zélée and Walkure and bombarded the port. Zélée was raised, her guns removed and then scuttled as a blockship for the harbour on 29 September.[1]