The yard Gusto or firm A.F. Smulders at Schiedam was specialized in building dredgers and floating cranes also for destinations abroad. The State Library of South Australia possess two beautiful pictures of this dredger while in Australian service and gave me permission to publish both, the first one dated from 1914.
Sunday, 24 April 1910. Yesterday was successfully the steel hull of a sea going bucket dredger built for the South Australian government.(1) At the launching were present Mr. A.A. Kirkpatrick, agent general for South Australia in Europe and his spouse which later christened the ship saying that in name of the government she was pleased to christen the ships without any doubts that the dredger would full fill all what was asked. Mr. Kirkpatrick was very pleased with the very positive report of his inspector general dealing with the well building of the vessel. She was build under special supervision of Lloyd’s and had the main dimensions 50 x 10,50 x 4,00 (hold) meters. She was fitted out with a 500 hp compound steam engine for driving the screw and the bucket chain and an auxiliary engine of 150 hp for the winches of the central system. The steam for the engines was provided by two boilers with a total heating surface of 180 square meter and 8 atmosphere pressure, The ship was completely lightened. She was capable to dredge around 400 cubic meters of fast clay each hour from a depth of 13 meter. After being finished she would go to Australia under own steam.
Thursday, 4 august 1910. Today departed the Adeleide master K.G. Mulder towards Adelaide under own steam.
Thursday, 25 August 1910. According to a yesterday received telegram arrives she safely at Port Said.
Thursday, 15 September 1910. According to a telegram arrived she last Monday safe at Colombo, Ceylon.
Wednesday, 12 October 1910. According to a telegram arrived she safely at Fremantle, Australia.
Note
1. According to http://www.dredgepoint.org/shipyards/ihc-holland-nv built for the South Australian Harbors Board in 1910 with the dimensions 49,07 (between perpendiculars) x 10,51m x 3,65 (hold) meter and a standard bucket capacity of 0,60 cub meter.
