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Sunday 11 March 2018

French Assemblée Nationale Française wanted explanation for problems on board of the Admiral Charner and Dordogne according to the Dutch newspaper De Sumatra Post dated 1 October 1901

An item reported that the French minister of navy was asked by the Assemblée Nationale Française to explain had happened on board of the cruiser Amiral Charner (1) and the transport Dordogne. The cruiser enrolled at Suez, Egypt European stokers which would earn in this manner their passage from Suez towards Djibouti possible had not ever worked in an engine room. Almost all became sick with as result that crewmembers had to work in the engine rooms and of which also several became sick. The Dordogne was such old that just with continuously pumping she was kept floating. Just after passing Suez, Egypt she was forced to return when suddenly a leak occurred. She was underway towards China with 518 military also just have 4 lifeboats and 50 lifebuoys on board.

Note
1. Armoured cruiser of the Amiral Charner-class, laid down by Arsenal de Rochefort in June 1889, launched on 18 March 1893, commissioned in 26 August 1885 and sunk by the German submarine U-21 underway from Ruad Island, Syria towards Port Said, Egypt on 8 February 1916.