For years was in the Netherlands a magazine published dealing with maritime affairs. It published in 1849 a small item, earlier published in the official Dutch Government newspapers Java Courant and Staatscourant, no. 20 of 1849. Monday 4 September 1849 was at Singapore the small steamer Ranee launched and baptised by miss Church, daughter of the resident of Singapore. She was destined to be directly commissioned to cruise for pirates in the fairways of Borneo and Archipelago of Solo. She departed Singapore 10 September together with the steamer Achkland towards Sarawak to join there the Meander. Her dimensions were 60 x 8’6”(maximum) and a maximum draught of 26” (completely armed and fitted out).0Het engine delivered 4 hp. She was well looking, built of jallie wood, coppered and built, while using Chinese labourers. She was armed with 2 large iron guns and able to ‘shoot’ fire arrows. Sailors experienced in the steam shipping doubted if she was suitable for her tasks.
Source
G.A. Tindal en J. Swart. Verhandelingen en berigten betrekkelijk het zeewezen en de zeevaartkunde. Vol 9 Amsterdam, 1849, p. 210. Digitized by Google.
