Dutch screw steamship 1st class Zr. Ms. Koningin Ermma der Nederlanden stationed in the Dutch West Indies in 1887-1888

 

As accommodation ship

On 13th March 1887 arrived the Dutch screw steamship 1st class Zr. Ms. Koningin Ermma der Nederlanden (1) at San Juan, Dominican Republic where visits were exchanged with the USS Jantie (2) commander Francis M. Green who departed in the evening of the same day. On the 15th was the voyage continued arriving the 16th at San Juan, Porto Rico. There were visits exchanged with the small Spanish ram Fernando Catholica (3)commanded by a 1st lieutenant. The Dutch commander complained that the daily life at San Juan was very expensive. Costs of a telegram of 11 words to the Netherlands 305 dollars and piloting 41 dollars. Petty officers and sailors were allowed to go ashore for one visit. There were no complaints. The 20th left she for St. Thomas [then part of Denmark, since 1917 American Virgin Islands], arriving the same day, departing on the 23rd.

Notes

1. Screw steamship 1st class, also called frigate, call sign GQMF, on stocks as De Ruyter at the naval yard at Amsterdam, Netherlands on 6 November 1876, completed for the half on 31 October 1876, renamed Koningin Emma der Nederlanden on 7 January 1879, launched on 20 January 1879, commissioned on 1 December 1881, decommissioned on 22 May 1896 for repairs, commissioned on 16 June 1897, decommissioned on 23 June 1900, converted at the shipyard De Lastdrager at Den Helder, Netherlands into an accommodation ship in 1908, commissioned on 16 November 1908, guard ship at Willemsoord, Netherlands in 1920, captured by the German forces at Willemsoord on 14 May 1940, capsized and sunk at Den Helder in 1942, salvaged in April 1943 and scuttled north of Fort Harssens. Displacement 3.160 ton and as dimensions 80,00-91,85 x 12,50 x 6,10 metres, horsepower 2.732hp/450 nhp, speed 14,10 miles, one double bladed screw with a diameter of 4,88 metres, sail area 1.585 square metres, coal bunker capacity 325 ton for 5ive days full speed, iron built wood planked although the hull above the waterline and some other parts were made of steel to be able to increase the ammunition and coal bunker capacity, her crew numbered 200 men and the armament consisted of 6-17cm guns and 4-12cm guns. The engines and boilers were manufactured by the Koninklijke Fabriek van Stoom- en andere werktuigen at Amsterdam, Netherlands.

2. Lieutenant commander Francis Matthews Green (23 February 1835 Boston, Massachusetts, USA-december 1922 Albany, New York, USA). USS Yantic of the Nipsic-class-gunboats, launched on 19 March 1864 by Philadelphia Navy Yard, commissioned on 12 August 1864, decommissioned on 7 March 1898 and loaned to the Naval Militia of the stat Michigan as training ship, later returned to the navy and finally broken up in 1936.

3. Of the 429 tons class Fernando el Catolico-class gunboats, dimensions 157.5 x 23.6 x 10 feet. Crew numbering 98 men. Armament consisted of 1-.64" rifled muzzle loading gun, 2-4.7" smooth bore guns, 1 machine gun.

Source

Jaarboek van de Koninklijke Nederlandsche Zeemacht 1886-1887.