The shipyard Kon. Mij. De Schelde at Vlissingen, Netherlands built with yard number 85 between 1895-1898 the protected cruiser Hr. Ms. Zeeland for account of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The so-called technical trial was executed between 19 December 1897 and 17 January 1898. The ship returned with broken steering gear towards Vlissingen. Between 31 March and 5 April 1898 was again a technical trial off Den Helder, Netherlands executed followed by the official trial on 4 April 1898 and the delivery to the navy on 1 June 1898.During the first technical trial off Nieuwediep, Netherlands raised problems when 15 stokers of the shipyard on Saturday refused to work while they thought they received unsufficient feeding. Immediately were they replaced by stokers of the navy to prevent ending the trial due to lacking steam (power).
