Her keel was laid down at the yard of the Nederlandse Stoomboot Maatschappij at Rotterdam, Netherlands on 4 November 1895, launched in 1896 and commissioned on 16 February 1898. She was decommissioned on 1 February 1911 and finally sold in 28 May 1913 to be broken up despite earlier plans for repairs on a large scale. With a displacement of 3,900 tons were her dimensions 93,30 x 14,81 x 5,40 metres. The armour consisted of a 50mm deck while the conning tower was protected by 100mm. The 8 water tube boilers and 2 so-called Scottish boilers and engines supplied 10,400 ihp wile driving 2 screws allowing a speed of 19,87 miles while she had a coal bunker capacity of 850 tons. Her crew numbered 325 men. The armament consisted original of 2-15cm guns, 6-12cm guns, 6-7,5cm guns, 12-3,7cm guns (of which 4 revolting), 2-7,5cm mortars, 2 torpedo tubes and 2 torpedo guns. In 1906 were 4-3,7 cm (of the not revolting) guns removed and in 1908 was one 7,5cm gun and one mortar removed.
The Dutch newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad morning edition dated 30 October 1896 reported that the pantserdekschip or cruiser Friesland built at the Maatschappij voor scheeps- en werktuigbouw Fijenoord was to be launched on 4 November 1896.
The Dutch magazine De Prins dated 12 September 1908 page 125 published a photo of the Friesland commanded by captain Cohen while departing the Nieuwediep at Den Helder towards the West Indies. The departure was on 3 September with as destination Curacao where she participated in the action against Venezuela. She returned on 3 February 1909 homewards and arrived on 24 February in the Netherlands.
The Dutch newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad morning edition dated 30 October 1896 reported that the pantserdekschip or cruiser Friesland built at the Maatschappij voor scheeps- en werktuigbouw Fijenoord was to be launched on 4 November 1896.
The Dutch magazine De Prins dated 12 September 1908 page 125 published a photo of the Friesland commanded by captain Cohen while departing the Nieuwediep at Den Helder towards the West Indies. The departure was on 3 September with as destination Curacao where she participated in the action against Venezuela. She returned on 3 February 1909 homewards and arrived on 24 February in the Netherlands.
