She was used to survey the Strait of Magellan, as well as Canadian and Australian waters, and on 20 February 1884 was loaned to the US Navy to assist in the rescue of the expedition under Adolphus Greely.
He took charge in 1883 in planning for the rescue of Lt. Adolphus Greely's Lady Franklin Bay Expedition.
Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden | Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge | Adolphus Warburton Moore | Milton Adolphus | John Frederick Adolphus McNair | John Adolphus | Adolphus Greely | Gustavus Adolphus College | Fort Greely | Adolphus Hotel | Adolphus Frederick IV | Adolphus FitzGeorge | Adolphus Busch | William Adolphus Graham IV | Thomas Adolphus Trollope | Sigard Adolphus Knopf | Prince Adolphus | Louis Adolphus Duhring | Lewis Adolphus Bernays | Greely High School | Greely Elementary School | Charles Adolphus Row | Adolphus William Young | Adolphus Williamson | Adolphus Island | Adolphus G. Belk Jr | Adolphus Frederick V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz | Adolphus Frederick II | Adolphus Druiding | Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge |
The strait is named after Sergeant George W. Rice (born 29 June 1855 in Baddeck, Nova Scotia), who was the photographer on Adolphus Greely's ill-fated Lady Franklin Bay Expedition, and also a correspondent with the New York Herald.