In a letter published in this newspaper an anonymous Dutch navy officer described the miserable condition of the Dutch warships serving at that moment in the Dutch East Indies. He was quite cynical in his comment dealing with the condition of the ships ending with the phrase Happy Indies! Happy Navy! Poor Netherlands!
The corvette Van Speijk served as a guard ship at Surabaya with 2 masts with the third one half cut down.(1)
Note
1. On stocks at Amsterdam 1838 as the Medusa, launched 21 June 1843, renamed Van Speyk 1841, stricken 1878, 900 tons displacement and an armament of 26 guns.
