The information dealing with this ship is quite confusing, even her faith isn’t clear. I compare some literature sources to show this problem.
The Asiatic journal and monthly miscellany, register for British and foreign India, China and Australia, vol, 33,October 1840, p. 117 published an interesting detail dealing with the former Dutch steamship van der Capellen.
“The Cochin-Chinese, thanks to the instruction of the French missionaries and other scientific men of the same nation, whose resort among them it was once their policy toencourage, have long shewn themselves desirous to adopt the European model in the construction of their sailing vessels; and the king possesses a considerable number of what he, no doubt, seems first-rate ships of war after the European style. Resolved not to stop at this point in the career of improvement, he has lately added a steamer to his navy, by purchasing, in Java, the Netherlands steamer Van der Capellen, which vessel sailed into our roads a few days ago as his Cochin Chinese Majesty's steam-ship of war, and towards whose dominions she will in due time bend her course, leaving him to boast that he possesses, what perhaps no other Asiatic potentate has yet owned, a regular ”smoke-ship”, “quite sufficient of itself, under proper management, to annihilate the whole navy of his Lord paramount of the Dragon throne, and which might sail up the Siam river unmolested and in triumph, carrying terror into the palace of the “angelic city” of Bangkok, the capital of his ancient and hereditary foe. To apply the power of steam, whether by land or by sea, to the more beneficent purposes of peace, is, we fear, however, a thought that never mingled itself with the calculation of his Majesty of Cochin-China.—Singapore Free Press.”
The Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 20 April1826 republished an article from the newspaper Bataviasche Courant. The latter newspaper was published at Batavia [nowadays Djakarta in Indonesia}. According to the latter newspaper was a beautiful steamboat called van der Capellen 25 November at Surabaya launched 25 November 1825 at the yard of Burgess. Isaac Burgess was by the Dutch crown admitted to build steamships in the Dutch East Indies. Shipbuilder in fact was Mr. Kerr. According to an extract of a private letter from Surabaya dated 26 November was she in the night before undocked into the river and there lying being happy and beautiful. The accommodation for passengers was excellent with tasteful painting and gilding.
In the edition of 3 June 1826 more information dealing with this ship was published. She arrived at Batavia 4 January 18126 after a short trial between Surabaya and Grisse. The engine was built in the factory of Faucet and Littledale, Liverpool, England en delivered 50 hp. She was built of the best jatie wood at Surabaya by inland labourers with supervision of C. Kerr. Costs were not saved to obtain the best possible result. Dimensions 127’ (maximum) x 19 (between paddles)-29 x 10’6” (hold and a measurement of 216 ton. She travelled in 96 hours from Surabaya towards Batavia included the time her engine works excluded the time she spend lying at Semarang, Cheribon and other places for fuel. Medium speed was 8-9 miles. Her cabin and long room had a height of 6’, the poop a length of 40’ and there were 6 more cabins available. It was planned that she would transport the resigned governor general of the Dutch East Indies Baron van der Capellen and his spouse to the ship which would bring them back to Europe.
Gibson referred to the Singapore Chronicle of 24 June 1825 that she was still on stocks but nearly to be launched. The same newspaper dated 16 March 1826 mentioned that she was hired by the Dutch government and send to Pontianak. For more information see Gibson but there is another interesting detail. Gibson wrote nothing dealing with her wrecking. He referred to the newspaper Singapore Free Press dated 7 May 1840 that she was sold to the king of Cochin-China. She departed 11 May Singapore going north and disappeared. He was definitively not from 1811 while there was confusion with the Pluto.
Van Oosten mentioned a displacement of 216 tons and as dimensions 127 x 27’. The balance engine and boilers were built at Liverpool with a power of 60 nhp. She was launched 25 November 1825 at the yard at Surabaya owned by Isaac Burgess, a merchant at Batavia. Her builder was C. Kerr who used djati wood. Burgess was allowed by royal decision dated 13 February 1824 no. 105 the single right excluding all private persons to built the coming 18 months steamships in the Dutch East Indies. She was launched 25 November 1825. She departed Surabaya 23 December 1825 with on board 8 passengers, arrived 4 days later at Semarang, departing there 30 December and finally arriving 4 January 1826 at Batavia. She made a trip to the island Onrust with some interests. In 1827 there were trials with using Benculen coal. In 1840 while making a trip to Siam she stranded and was sold the same year for ƒ 65.000. Van Oosten used for his item an article of P.A.J. Bois van Treslong titled Stoomvaart in Oost-Indië. The latter claimed at p. 90 that the ship was built at Lassem near Rembang. Van Oosten didn’t agree with him while Kerr possessed a dock at Surabaya. Van Oosten also used G.H. Preble, History of Steam Navigation which latter claimed that she was built in 1811 at Batavia by some British merchants and hired during 2 years by the government for 10.000 dollars monthly while used for instance as troop transports. She was renamed Pluto in 1822 serving as a dredger. In 1830 she was lost due to a storm after serving as a floating battery at Arrakan. B. Greenhill wrote in 1966 in the Mariners’ Mirror also that she all ready served in 1811 in the Dutch East Indies. Van Oosten didn’t agree with him.
Scheurleer wrote that she was laid down in 1824 at the yard of I. Burgess at Surabaya in 1824 being the first steamship in the Dutch East Indies and used in the Java war (1825-1830). She was sold according to him to the king of Siam for ƒ 65.000.
Vermeulen wrote that she was built at Rembang, Java, hired in 1826 by the Dutch government for a monthly rental price of ƒ 11.000 and that was sold in 1840 for ƒ 65.000 to the king of Siam.
Sources
C.A. Gibson. ‘The Steamers employed in Asian Waters, 1819-1839’, Journal Malyan Branch, 1954.
F.C. van Oosten. Schepen onder stoom. Van radarboot to oceaanstomer.
D.F. Scheurleer. Herinneringsdagen uit de Nederlandsche zeegeschiedenis. 1913.
A.J. Vermeulen. De schepen van de Koninklijke marine en die der gouvernementsmarine en die der Gouvernementsmarine 1814-1962.
