The British navy yard at Bridgetown, Barbados in January 1847 seen through the eyes of two Dutch navy officers

For years was in the Netherlands a magazine published dealing with maritime affairs in the whole world, navy and merchant, for instance in 1847 an account of the voyage made by the two Dutch navy Lieutenants 2nd class jhr. J.E.WE.R. van Raders and D.L. Wolfson to the Caribbean. Their order was to investigate if there were new inventions of value for the sugar industry available. They departed from Paramaribo, Surinam 22 November 1845 on board of the schooner Zr. Ms. Vos of the Royal Dutch Navy. 4th December they went on board of the Reindeer, owned by the Royal Mail Steampacket Company to continue their journey towards Grenada. Later they went at Guadeloupe on board of the French colonial schooner Jouvencelle. With the brig Zr. Ms. Snelheid of the Royal Dutch Navy they sailed in January 1846 towards Bridgetown, Barbados, where they arrived the 18th. Off the roads were also the 50-guns frigate Vindictive (a rerazeed ship of the line) and the corvette Eurydice, a corvette as station ship, a troop transport in quarantine due to the outbreak of smallpox on board and some merchant ships. There is a small navy yard, the narrow, shallow harbour is protected by a breakwater and a large stone head against the breakers. Besides the head is a keel-quay. It’s al information given by the two officers, so not much of value.

Source

G.A. Tindal en J. Swart. Verhandelingen en berigten betrekkelijk het zeewezen en de zeevaartkunde. Vol 7. Amsterdam, 1847, p. 655. Digitized by Google.