In 1886 visited Greece torpedo boats built in Germany the Dutch port Flushing underway to their final destination to load coal. In local newspapers there are some small news items dealing with these visits available.
Middelburgsche Courant. 14 April 1881. Before Portland were five torpedo boats ready for their departure to Athens. They were built for account of Greece in England.
Vlissingse Courant. Sunday 24 January 1886. Today arrived the Greek torpedo boat No. 16 to load coal for her voyage from Stettin towards Piraeus. She was part of the torpedo boats bought by Greece in Germany.
The regional newspaper Het nieuws van den dag: kleine courant daily edition dated 25 January 1886 published at Amsterdam also mentioned the arrival of the torpedo boat I.M.T.B.T.V. 16 (his royal torpedo boat no. 16) yesterday morning [was 22 January] at Flushing underway from Stettin to Athens while leaving Copenhagen 14 days earlier. She was apparently accompanied buy more torpedo boats of which one returned with a damaged rudder while the V 12 which left with at the same time Stettin and Copenhagen visited Terschelling for coal. The crew of the V16 consisted of 12 Germans and she was with 5 other boats built at the Vulcan yard at Stettin originally for the German navy. The German government however didn’t accept these boats because they didn’t meet the contract conditions of a speed of at least 22 miles. The result was that the Greek government bought the boats and all ready three arrived in Greece. The length was 120’and with a coal capacity of 20 tons the deck was just 2’ above the water. It was thanks to special equipment possible to lower the ship equalling the deck with the water surface. At the front were 2 guns fitted to launch with pressed air Schwarzkopf fish torpedos of which were 4 on board. On deck were two towers one fore and one aft, each fitted out with a telegraph and a hand/steam steering equipment. The fore tower could be elevated and fitted out with a revolver gun. The whole ship was of iron and the deck was covered with cork. All doors and other openings could be closed hermetically. Although the vessel was very small, at the front extremely sharp and behind also pointed made she even in heavy sea hardly water. The very powerful 3 cylinder engine allowed a speed of 20 miles. Strangely enough the description differs quite a lot of the one in the Goessche Courant.
Goessche Courant. Tuesday, 26 January 1886. Last Friday arrived the Greek torpedo boat V no. 16 to load an additional 15 ton coal. Just like the other torpedo boats she was extremely long considered the other dimensions. With a beam of just 8-19 and a draught of 4-5 feet (at the screw 7’) her length was around 140 feet. She was fitted out at both sides at the front with a fish torpedo launching equipment. The small and slender vessel with a German crew on board proved to be seaworthy. Her average speed was 14-15 miles if necessary a maximum of 18-19 miles was possible. The screw made 400 revolutions pro minute. In the afternoon of Sunday she continued her voyage.
Vlissingse Courant. Thursday, 28 January 1886. The No. 17 coming from Swinemunde left after having loaded coal towards Greece.
Middelburgsche Courant. Saturday 23 January 1886. At Flushing arrived this morning the Greek torpedo boat No. 16 underway from Stettin towards Piraeus. She was one of the boats bought by Greece in Germany. After having loaded 15 tons of coal she will continue her voyage. The vessel is very long and just a few feet above the water surface. Her crew consisted completely of Germans. The boy was fitted out with a torpedo launching equipment.
