German target ship Zaehringen heavily damaged by fire according to the Dutch newspaper Het Vaderland dated Sunday 14 September 1930

An item dated Kiel, Germany 13th reported that the professional firemen strengthened by firemen from the Deutsche Werke, the German shipyard and the naval arsenal succeeded that morning to extinguish the fire on board of the target ship Zaehringen. The charred cork filling was now being removed. On Monday was she depart on own power towards Wilhelmshaven with yet unknown damage. Another newspaper De Tijd dated 12th supplied more details. During gun exercises was she set afire and despite all efforts of six fireboats was she the complete mid- and aft ship burning. Everything was done to protected the cork filling of her holds. The amount of cork in her holds was the largest in the world. When she was converted into a target ship were two cork harvest of complete Spain needed to fill her holds to keep her all times floating. De enormous purchase disturbed the market then considerable. It was expected that she was to be docked for a long time. A day later reported the latter newspaper that the fire was still not completely extinguished. With oxygen flame cutters was the hull cut open and she was deliberately scuttled off the quay. The intention was to salvage her after she stopped burning. The fore part seemed to be complete lost, although the navy expected that she could ne repaired without huge costs. The most precious equipment on board seemed to be saved.(1)

Note
1. She was laid down at the Germaniawerft at Kiel, Germany in November 1899 as part of the pre-dreadnought battleships Wittelsbach-class, launched 12 June 1901, commissioned 25 October 1902, in 1917 fitted out as a target ship, April 1919 decommissioned, stricken on 11 March 1920 and disarmed, until 1926 serving as a hulk was she in 1927-1928 rebuilt as a wireless controlled target ship, on 18 December 1944 sunk by British planes in Gotenhafen, was she raised and deliberately scuttled as a block ship on 26 March 1945 and finally in the years 1949-1950 broken up. Her sister ships were the Wittelbach, Wettin, Schwaben and Mecklenburg. Building costs £ 1,071,250. Her original displacement was 12,798 tons or 12,597 long tons with as dimensions 126,8 x 22,8 x 7,95 metres or 416’0”x 74’10”x 26’1”. When she was converted into a target ship in 1927-1928 her structure was cut down and the hull filled with cork. Her displacement since then was 11,800 metric tons/11,600 long tons or 13,000 tons. Naval Annual 1913 gave her as displacement 11,643 tons and as dimensions 393¾ x 68¼ x 25¾’. Jane Fighting ships mentioned a displacement of 11,800 tons and as dimensions 393½ x 68 1/6  x 26’. Her triple expansion steam engines and 12 boilers supplied 14.000 ihp driven 3 screws allowed a speed of 18 knots. According to the Naval Annual of 1913 was her horsepower 15,000 hp and her speed 19 knots. With a speed of 10 knots was her range 5,000 nautical miles. Since 1928 was she fitted out with two vertical 3-cylinder triple expansion engines and 2 oil-fired boilers allowing a speed of 13,5 knots. According to Jane’s Fighting ships allowed the 5.000 hp as target ship a speed of 13 knots. The boilers were automatically and oil fired. Her crew numbered 680 men (Naval Annual 715 men). After the target conversion 67 (Gröner)-104 (Jane’s Fighting ships). Her original armament consisted of 2x2-24cm guns, 18-15cm guns, 12-8.8cm guns and 5-45cm  surfaced torpedo tubes.