 From October 1883 to June 1884, during the period of growing tension that preceded the outbreak of the Sino-French War (August 1884–April 1885), she took part in a French naval blockade of the coast of Tonkin.On 30 November 1883, in response to the threat of an imminent Vietnamese attack on the French post at Quảng Yên, "Bayard"s landing company was hastily installed in the town's citadel, successfully deterring the threatened attack.In June 1884 "Bayard" became the flagship of the Far East Squadron, an exceptional naval grouping created for the war with China by the amalgamation of the Tonkin Coasts and Far East naval divisions.