SMS Hertha. Marinmuseum
Thanks to the fact that nowadays more and more books are digitized we are able to read books that are some times for decades no longer available for the public for several reasons. That’s quite a pity while these books contains useful information while the archives are destroyed, incomplete or nor accessible. In his book for politicians and merchants Martin described all the countries part of the so-called civilised world. If available he published information dealing with the armed forces and the merchant trade shipping.
p. 123: “The formation of a navy for the kingdom dates from the year 1848. According to returns made by the Government in June 1867, the fleet of war at that period consisted of the following vessels.
Screw Steamers: ironclads: Kronprinz 800 hp, 16 guns, Arminius 300 hp, 4 guns and Prince Adalbert 300 hp, 3 guns, frigates and corvettes Hertha 400 hp, 28 guns, Gazelle 400 hp, 28 guns, Arcona 400 hp, 28 guns, Vineta 400 hp,28, Elizabeth 400 hp, 26 guns, Victoria, 400 hp, 14 guns, Augusta . 400 hp, 14 guns, Nymphe 200 hp, 17 guns and Medusa 200 hp, 17 guns, 8 first-class gunboats, of 80 horse power and 3 guns each, total 640 hp and 24 guns, 15 second-class gunbats, of 60 hors power and 2 guns each, total 900 hp and 30 gun and yacht Grille 160 hp and 2 guns.
p. 124: Paddle Steamers: corvettes: Barbarossa (guard ship) 300 hp, 9 guns, Preussischer Adler, 300 hp, 4 guns and Loreley 120 hp, 2 guns
Total of steamers with 7,020 hp and 224 guns.
Sailing Vessels: frigates Gefion, 84 guns, Thetis, 38 guns and Niobe, 26 guns, brigs Mosquito, 20 guns, Rover, 10 guns and Hela, 6 guns, 3 schooner-rigged vessels, of 2 guns each, total 6 guns, 41 rowing gunboats, of 2 guns each, total 82 guns and 9 rowing gunboats, of 1 gun each, total 9 guns.
Total 7,020 hp and 539guns.
The largest vessel of the Prussian navy, the Kronprinz, was built at Poplar, by Messrs. Samuda Brothers, and launched on the 6th of May, 1867. The Kronprinz is constructed with armourplating extending entirely round the vessel, from 6 feet below the water-line up to the main deck, 5 inches thick, and so arranged as to protect the rudder and steering apparatus, as well as the whole of the lower deck. The deck beams are covered with steel plating as a protection against shell, and the vessel is built with a double bottom and water-tight wing passage. The armament consists of 14 steel breech-loading guns of 7 tons each in the midship battery; one pivot gun on upper deck forward, protected by an armourplated shield; and a pivot gun aft. The Prussian government is making great efforts to increase its navy, and above twenty more vessels were in course of construction at the end of 1867. The largest of these was the iron-clad frigate William I, built at the Thames Ironworks, Blackwall. The William I, originally destined for the Sultan of Turkey, and called the Patikh, was designed by the chief constructor of the British navy, is of 5,938 tons burthen, with engines of 1,150 horse power, and will carry 34 guns. Her main-deck battery of 28 large guns is protected by eight-inch armour-plates, with a belt at the water-line fore and aft. She has also 4 guns on the upper deck, placed in armour-plated towers at each end of the battery, for firing fore and
p. 125: aft, the two bow guns being protected by an armour-plate shield across the ship, which defends the frigate also against a raking fire. The William I will have a speed of 15 knots, and is described by naval authorities as ‘the most powerful and formidable ship of war yet afloat.’ The Prussian navy was manned, in the summer of 1867, by 2,190 seamen and boys, and officered by 1 admiral, 1 rear-admiral, 19 captains, 33 commanders, and 113 lieutenants, of whom 40 are in the reserve. There were, besides, five companies of marines, four of infantry, and three of artillery, numbering about 1,200 men. The sailors of the fleet and marines are raised by conscription from among the seafaring population, the same being exempt on this account from service in the army. Great inducements are held out for able seamen to volunteer in the navy, and the number of these in recent years has been very large. Prussia has four ports of war, at Kiel, Danzig, Stralsund, and the Bay of Jade, on the North Sea. It is intended to make the last named port - purchased from Oldenburg in 1854 - the chief station of the navy.
Source
F. Martin. The Statesman’s Year-book. A statistical, mercantile, and historical account of the states and sovereigns of the civilised world. A manual for politicians and merchants for the year 1868. London, 1868.
p. 123: “The formation of a navy for the kingdom dates from the year 1848. According to returns made by the Government in June 1867, the fleet of war at that period consisted of the following vessels.
Screw Steamers: ironclads: Kronprinz 800 hp, 16 guns, Arminius 300 hp, 4 guns and Prince Adalbert 300 hp, 3 guns, frigates and corvettes Hertha 400 hp, 28 guns, Gazelle 400 hp, 28 guns, Arcona 400 hp, 28 guns, Vineta 400 hp,28, Elizabeth 400 hp, 26 guns, Victoria, 400 hp, 14 guns, Augusta . 400 hp, 14 guns, Nymphe 200 hp, 17 guns and Medusa 200 hp, 17 guns, 8 first-class gunboats, of 80 horse power and 3 guns each, total 640 hp and 24 guns, 15 second-class gunbats, of 60 hors power and 2 guns each, total 900 hp and 30 gun and yacht Grille 160 hp and 2 guns.
p. 124: Paddle Steamers: corvettes: Barbarossa (guard ship) 300 hp, 9 guns, Preussischer Adler, 300 hp, 4 guns and Loreley 120 hp, 2 guns
Total of steamers with 7,020 hp and 224 guns.
Sailing Vessels: frigates Gefion, 84 guns, Thetis, 38 guns and Niobe, 26 guns, brigs Mosquito, 20 guns, Rover, 10 guns and Hela, 6 guns, 3 schooner-rigged vessels, of 2 guns each, total 6 guns, 41 rowing gunboats, of 2 guns each, total 82 guns and 9 rowing gunboats, of 1 gun each, total 9 guns.
Total 7,020 hp and 539guns.
The largest vessel of the Prussian navy, the Kronprinz, was built at Poplar, by Messrs. Samuda Brothers, and launched on the 6th of May, 1867. The Kronprinz is constructed with armourplating extending entirely round the vessel, from 6 feet below the water-line up to the main deck, 5 inches thick, and so arranged as to protect the rudder and steering apparatus, as well as the whole of the lower deck. The deck beams are covered with steel plating as a protection against shell, and the vessel is built with a double bottom and water-tight wing passage. The armament consists of 14 steel breech-loading guns of 7 tons each in the midship battery; one pivot gun on upper deck forward, protected by an armourplated shield; and a pivot gun aft. The Prussian government is making great efforts to increase its navy, and above twenty more vessels were in course of construction at the end of 1867. The largest of these was the iron-clad frigate William I, built at the Thames Ironworks, Blackwall. The William I, originally destined for the Sultan of Turkey, and called the Patikh, was designed by the chief constructor of the British navy, is of 5,938 tons burthen, with engines of 1,150 horse power, and will carry 34 guns. Her main-deck battery of 28 large guns is protected by eight-inch armour-plates, with a belt at the water-line fore and aft. She has also 4 guns on the upper deck, placed in armour-plated towers at each end of the battery, for firing fore and
p. 125: aft, the two bow guns being protected by an armour-plate shield across the ship, which defends the frigate also against a raking fire. The William I will have a speed of 15 knots, and is described by naval authorities as ‘the most powerful and formidable ship of war yet afloat.’ The Prussian navy was manned, in the summer of 1867, by 2,190 seamen and boys, and officered by 1 admiral, 1 rear-admiral, 19 captains, 33 commanders, and 113 lieutenants, of whom 40 are in the reserve. There were, besides, five companies of marines, four of infantry, and three of artillery, numbering about 1,200 men. The sailors of the fleet and marines are raised by conscription from among the seafaring population, the same being exempt on this account from service in the army. Great inducements are held out for able seamen to volunteer in the navy, and the number of these in recent years has been very large. Prussia has four ports of war, at Kiel, Danzig, Stralsund, and the Bay of Jade, on the North Sea. It is intended to make the last named port - purchased from Oldenburg in 1854 - the chief station of the navy.
Source
F. Martin. The Statesman’s Year-book. A statistical, mercantile, and historical account of the states and sovereigns of the civilised world. A manual for politicians and merchants for the year 1868. London, 1868.
