Between 1876-1880 wrote Bruno
Joannes Tideman (1834-1883), Dutch naval chief engineer and advisor of the
minister of navy his magnum opus titled Memoriaal van de Marine. Tideman
educated at the navy yard at Vlissingen, Netherlands was experienced in
practice and theoretical shipbuilding, involved in transformed wood-built
sailing ships into (armoured) floating batteries, the building of the first
Dutch ironclads and scientific research dealing with the shape of the hull and
water resistance. The navy yard at Vlissingen, Netherlands was despite her
short existence probably the most important Dutch navy yard in the first half
of the 19th Century. Further more he advices the Dutch king to
establish a navy yard at steel plant at Vlissingen. In 1875 was this yard
realized, which became known as the Kon. Mij. De Schelde nowadays still
existing as part of the Damen concern. As Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding she
is still responsible for building and designing warships.
Inner harbour Rotterdam, Netherlands 23 December 2012
Den Helder, Netherlands 13 August 2004
Screw steamship 4th class Bonaire in dry dock at former navy yard Den Helder, Netherlands 2014
In his book Tideman supplies details about the warships at that moment serving in the Royal Netherlands Navy like ironclads, monitors, gunboats (of the British Staunch-design) and screw steamships. Details about building costs, the used materials, and so on and so on. There are numerous drawings of ships but also of launches and pulleys.
Of the ships mentioned and
described are nowadays at least three still existing, namely the ram turrets
Buffel and Schorpioen and the composite built screw steamship Bonaire.
The town archive of Vlissingen made it possible for anybody interested in maritime history world wide to download pages of the book without any further costs. For more details about Tideman FOLLOW THE LINK
The book can be find on FOLLOW THE LINK
The text is written in Dutch but follow the next instruction. At the left side you can see the text: 536 Memoriaal van de Marine- Kenmerken- Inventaris. If you push the text Inventaris you will able to read the book and if desired download individual pages.
