German cruisers Geier, Seeadler, Bussard and Schwalbe leaving the Far East according to the Dutch newspaper Bataviaasch nieuwsblad dated 3 July 1902

SMS Bussard. Source Bundesarchive RM 3/22928 French fotoalbum 1900

SMS Geier. Source Bundesarchive RM 3/22928 French fotoalbum 1900

SMS Schwalbe. Source Bundesarchive RM 3/22928 French fotoalbum 1900

SMS Seeadler. Source Bundesarchive RM 3/22928 French fotoalbum 1900

An item reported that the German cruisers Geier (1), Seeadler (2), Bussard (3) and Schwalbe (4) would leave on short notice the East Asian waters and return to their stations in America (?), Australia and East Africa.

Notes

1. Unprotected cruiser of the Bussard-class consisting of the Bussard, Falke, Seeadler, Condor and Cormoran, preceded by the Schwalbe-class and succeeded by the Gefion. Laid down by the Kaiserliche Werft, Wilhemshaven, Germany in 1893, launched on 18 October 1894, commissioned on 24 October 1895, captured by the US navy on 6 April 1919, commissioned as the USS Schurz on 15 September and sink in a collission off the North Carolina coast on 21 June 1918.

2. Unprotected cruiser of the Bussard-class consisting of the Bussard, Falke, Seeadler, Condor and Cormoran, preceded by the Schwalbe-class and succeeded by the Gefion. Laid down as Kaiseradler by Kaiserlichte Werft Danzig, Danzig in 1890, launched on 2 February 1892, commissioned on 17 August 1892, renamed Seeadler on 17 August 1892 and exploded while used as a mine hulk at Wilhelmshaven on 19 April 191.

3. Laid down by Kaiserliche Werft, Danzig as Kreuzer IV Classe C in August 1888, launched on 23 January 1890, commissioned on 7 October 1890, decommissioned on 25 October 1912 and broken up in 1913. Unprotected cruiser of the Bussard-class consisting of the Bussard, Falke, Seeadler, Condor and Cormoran, preceded by the Schwalbe-class and succeeded by the Gefion.

4. Laid down by Kaiserliche Werft, Wilhelmshaven, Germany with yard number 9 in April 1886, launched on 16 August 1887, commissioned on 8 May 1888, stricken on 6 December 1919 and broken up at Hamburg, Germany in 1922. Part of the Schwalbe-class unprotected cruisers, consisting of the Schwalbe and Sperber, succeeded by the Bussard-class.