In November 1881 the Consul-General of France for the Argentine Republic entered into a contract with Messrs. Edwards and Symes, shipbuilders and engineers, Cubitt Town, London, for the construction of four iron light-draught twin-screw steamers. Three of these were 60 ft. long, 12 ft. beam, 6 ft. deep, and a draught of 3 ft. with raised quarterdeck, and forecastles and fitted with bilge keels. One of these the Mendoza proceeded down the Thames on the 29th of July, 1882, to the measured mile at Long Reach were it achieved a mean speed of 9.38 knots on four consecutive runs.