Cavite and her yard described by W.J.C. Huyssen van Kattendijke in 1857

For years was in the Netherlands a magazine published dealing with maritime affairs. It contained notes dealing with the Royal Dutch Navy and the Dutch merchant shipping/trade, but also supplied information dealing with foreign navies, especially of France and Great Britain. Occasionally we can find information dealing with the navies of other countries Russia, United States or even Mexico. In September 1857 visited W.J.C. Huyssen van Kattendijke with the screw steam schooner Japan Cavite, while underway from Batavia (Djakarta, Dutch East Indies) towards Japan. He wrote a letter from Decima, Japan 8 October 1857 to the editor of this magazine with his remarks dealing with Cavite. In the little or outside bay of Cavite was a coal depot owned by the Spanish Government. Against really reasonable prices foreign warships were allowed to load coal at this depot. Kattendijke paid 12-13 Spanish matten (coins) for each British ton. By this coal magazine is a landing stage of pales in range for ships with a draught of 18 British feet (5,5 m). At Cavite existed a repair yard, protected by old but probably good defence works, manned by a regiment of a 1000 men. The yard lies in the front of the large or inner bay where ships can anchor with a draught of 23-24 feet. Further in the bay, where 40 years ago a large squadron of ships of the line could anchor, it became so shallow that only gunboats could come there. There is a keel quay with 21 feet of water, there is also a small slip, but work was in progress with making a large fast dry dock, to be completed within 3 years. Although the yard isn’t large, all repair facilities are available. There are large houses form the personnel en warehouses for ships’ stores, a forge with 20 fire places where at that moment a large sloop davit for a steamship of 350 hp was made. There was a workshop with 7 joiner’s benches and lathes, for repairing steam engines, leaded by a Englishman. Until now they used 4 water buffaloes to drive, but a steam engine coming from Europe was expected. The yard director complained heavily of lacking enough workmen, instead of the necessary 600-700 just 400 came to work. The house of the director and the large magazine testified of the time that Spain was an important naval country. Except some gunboats, there were in this colony 4 steamships, one with 350 hp and 4 brigs available. Despite this small force the Spanish succeeded while co-operating with the army acting successful against the Magendanaose pirates. Just a few days before Huyssen van Kattendijke arrived, a Spanish expedition departed southwards. Water was bring to the ships by a prow fitted out as a water tank. The water of a very good quality costs one Spanish mat for each 1000 cans.

Source

G.A. Tindal en J. Swart. Article De Baai van Manilla” in: Verhandelingen en berigten betrekkelijk het zeewezen en de zeevaartkunde. Vol 18. Amsterdam, 1858, p. 161-165. Digitized by Google.