Ariadne was built by J&G Thompson of Clydebank and launched on 22 April 1898, when she was named by Lady Balfour of Burleigh, wife of Lord Balfour of Burleigh, who served as Secretary of State for Scotland.[1] She arrived at Portsmouth from Chatham Dockyard in March 1900, and was placed in the Fleet reserve.[2]
In March 1902 she was ordered to prepare for service on the North America and West Indies Station, where she would act as flagship to Vice-Admiral Sir Archibald L. Douglas when he took up command on the station in July that year.[3] She was commissioned at Portsmouth on 5 June 1902 by Captain Montague Browning, who was appointed flag captain in command of the ship from the same day.[4] [5] Leaving Portsmouth in early July,[6] she arrived at the station headquarters at Halifax and formally succeed as flagship to the station on 15 July.[7] In August–September 1902 she visited St. John's, Newfoundland, Quebec City and Charlottetown.[8] [9] In November the same year, she visited the Bermuda headquarters of the station and Trinidad.[10]
Ariadne took part in the naval blockade of Venezuelan ports during the Venezuelan crisis of 1902–1903.