Local newspapers such as the Schiedamsche Courant can supply a lot of interesting details dealing with merchant trade shipping and building. Details which for instance no longer can find in another way due to the fact the archives of the shipping companies and yards are missing, incomplete or not for (historical) research accessible. The yard Gusto or firm A.F. Smulders at Schiedam was specialized in building dredgers and floating cranes also for destinations abroad.
Wednesday, 13 December 1905. Yesterday was at the yard Gusto of the firm A.F. Smulders at Schiedam the first of the five steam hoppers for the Suez Channel Company launched. Her dimensions were 181 x 32 x 12’6” (hold). Her purpose was to transport the mud dredged by the dredgers towards open sea and dump it there through doors in the bottom which could be opened. Cargo capacity was 700 tons. She was fitted out with two compound engines of 750 ihp and two boilers with a heating surface of 220 square meter. When loaded her speed was 9 miles. The new yard was opened 1 July and immediately were 5 ships laid down of which she was the first to be launched. At 15.30 o’clock were the blocks removed and a single pull by the small tug Gusto was enough to start the launching via the three cradles. At that moment was the yard also building a suction- and press vessel for this company.(1)
Sunday, 15 April 1906. This morning was at 09.00 o’clock with success the steel hull of the hopper No. 42 launched. She was the second of the five hoppers to be built for the Compagnie Universelle du Canal Maritime de Suez. Her dimensions were 55 x 9,70 x 3,85 meter (hold) and she was fitted out with two identical compound engines of 700 ihp total and two boilers with a heating surface of 220 square meter and a pressure of 8 atmosphere and steam winches for manoeuvring and the hopper equipment. Her purpose was to transport the mud dredged by the dredgers towards open sea and dump it there through doors in the bottom which could be opened. There were enough cabins fro the crew on board and she was electrically lightened. She was to go under own steam to her destination.
Thursday, 12 July 1906. Thursday [this must be a miswriting fro Friday] morning around 09.00 o’clock was the third of the five hoppers launched.
Friday, 13 July 1906. This morning was around 09.30 o’clock the steel hull of the sea going hopper No. 43 launched. For more technical specifications see the new item dated Sunday, 15 April 1906. (2)
Saturday, 11 August 1906. Yesterday left the steam hopper No. 42 the second of the five hoppers the yard towards Port Saïd.
Tuesday, 4 September 1906. The firm Smulders received a telegram that the No. 42 which left 8 August arrived at Port Saïd.
Saturday, 29 September 1906. Saturday afternoon between 13.30-14.00 o’clock was the fourth of the five hoppers launched.
Tuesday, 2 October 1906. The launching mentioned in the newspaper dated 29 September 1906 was that of the steel hull of the no. 44. For more technical specifications see the news item dated Sunday, 15 April 1906.(3)
Wednesday, 3 October 1906. Yesterday morning departed the No. 43 towards sea and her destination Port Saïd.
Thursday, 15 November 1906. Thursday afternoon around 15.30 o’clock will the last of the five hoppers be launched.
Friday, 16 November 1906. Today was with success the No. 45 the last of the five hoppers launched.
Tuesday, 11 December 1906. Saturday departed the No. 44 towards Port Saïd.
Notes
1. The newspaper Het nieuws van den dag: kleine courant, daily edition dated 13 December 1905 supplied similar details adding that these were twin screws hoppers.
2. The newspaper Het nieuws van den dag: kleine courant, daily edition dated 16 July 1906 supplied similar details.
3. The newspaper Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad daily edition dated 4 October 1906 supplied similar details.
Wednesday, 13 December 1905. Yesterday was at the yard Gusto of the firm A.F. Smulders at Schiedam the first of the five steam hoppers for the Suez Channel Company launched. Her dimensions were 181 x 32 x 12’6” (hold). Her purpose was to transport the mud dredged by the dredgers towards open sea and dump it there through doors in the bottom which could be opened. Cargo capacity was 700 tons. She was fitted out with two compound engines of 750 ihp and two boilers with a heating surface of 220 square meter. When loaded her speed was 9 miles. The new yard was opened 1 July and immediately were 5 ships laid down of which she was the first to be launched. At 15.30 o’clock were the blocks removed and a single pull by the small tug Gusto was enough to start the launching via the three cradles. At that moment was the yard also building a suction- and press vessel for this company.(1)
Sunday, 15 April 1906. This morning was at 09.00 o’clock with success the steel hull of the hopper No. 42 launched. She was the second of the five hoppers to be built for the Compagnie Universelle du Canal Maritime de Suez. Her dimensions were 55 x 9,70 x 3,85 meter (hold) and she was fitted out with two identical compound engines of 700 ihp total and two boilers with a heating surface of 220 square meter and a pressure of 8 atmosphere and steam winches for manoeuvring and the hopper equipment. Her purpose was to transport the mud dredged by the dredgers towards open sea and dump it there through doors in the bottom which could be opened. There were enough cabins fro the crew on board and she was electrically lightened. She was to go under own steam to her destination.
Thursday, 12 July 1906. Thursday [this must be a miswriting fro Friday] morning around 09.00 o’clock was the third of the five hoppers launched.
Friday, 13 July 1906. This morning was around 09.30 o’clock the steel hull of the sea going hopper No. 43 launched. For more technical specifications see the new item dated Sunday, 15 April 1906. (2)
Saturday, 11 August 1906. Yesterday left the steam hopper No. 42 the second of the five hoppers the yard towards Port Saïd.
Tuesday, 4 September 1906. The firm Smulders received a telegram that the No. 42 which left 8 August arrived at Port Saïd.
Saturday, 29 September 1906. Saturday afternoon between 13.30-14.00 o’clock was the fourth of the five hoppers launched.
Tuesday, 2 October 1906. The launching mentioned in the newspaper dated 29 September 1906 was that of the steel hull of the no. 44. For more technical specifications see the news item dated Sunday, 15 April 1906.(3)
Wednesday, 3 October 1906. Yesterday morning departed the No. 43 towards sea and her destination Port Saïd.
Thursday, 15 November 1906. Thursday afternoon around 15.30 o’clock will the last of the five hoppers be launched.
Friday, 16 November 1906. Today was with success the No. 45 the last of the five hoppers launched.
Tuesday, 11 December 1906. Saturday departed the No. 44 towards Port Saïd.
Notes
1. The newspaper Het nieuws van den dag: kleine courant, daily edition dated 13 December 1905 supplied similar details adding that these were twin screws hoppers.
2. The newspaper Het nieuws van den dag: kleine courant, daily edition dated 16 July 1906 supplied similar details.
3. The newspaper Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad daily edition dated 4 October 1906 supplied similar details.
