In the local news paper named Goessche Courant were in 1851-1852 some items published dealing with the end of the first 19th century German navy.
18 December 1851. Within some days the term ends decided by the Federal Diet what to do with the German navy. According to reliable sources some of the German governments don’t want to expend more money to keep the fleet.
12 January 1852. The fate of the German fleet was absolute clear, there was no future for her. A proposal of Austria to maintain the fleet was not supported. There was just enough money available for the regular expenses.
22 January 1852. There wasn’t any hope left that the North Sea states voluntarily supported the fleet financial. According to some sources they were negotiating with Prussia dealing with the distribution of the ships against a proportional payment. While Prussia paid the mayor part of the expenses she claimed the larger part of the ships. She wanted to have at least the well known frigate Gefion to prevent her falling into ‘strange’ hands.
1 April 1852. According to the newest tiding coming from Hannover was the meeting of the German states a total failure and was the fleet to be resolved.
17 June 1852. Lacking parties interested it will be difficult to sell the ships within short time.
Hansen described in his book the founding and end of this in fact first real Germany navy, not just one country like in the past Brandenburg. As a result of the hostilities with Denmark it proved necessary to found a navy to protect the German trade in this area. 14 July 1848 was the amount of 6.000.000 thalers supplied by the assembled German states to purchase ships. Bremerhaven became the main naval base. The Gefion (1) was a Danish frigate which was renamed Eckernförde and taken into service. She was captured in the same battle where the Danish ship of line Christian VIII exploded due to fire of a German battery on the coast at Eckernförde. After 1849 there wasn’t any interest in keeping a navy and the ships laid unused on the river Weser or at Bremerhaven. Finally the ships were sold on an auction except the Gefion and Barbarossa which were transferred to Prussia, according to Von Kronenfels the Gefion for fl. 262.500.
Sources
Goessche Courant
Skibbygning og Mas kinvaesen ved Orlogsvaerftet paa Nyholm, Frederiksholm og Dokø Gennem 250 aar 1692x 6 oktober x 1942. København, 1942.
Hans Jürgen Hansen. The ships of the German Fleets 1848-1945. London, 1973.
J.F. von Kronenfels. Das schwimmende flottenmaterial der Seemächte. Wien, 1881.
Note
1. Source Hansen: launched 27 September 1843 at the Royal shipyard at Copenhagen, Denmark. dimensions 59 x 13,5m and with a displacement of 1.300 GRT. Armed with 2-60pdr, 26 long 24pdr and 20 short 24pdr. Afterwards transferred to Prussia (11 May 1852) and renamed Gefion, since 1870 floating barracks at Kiel, >1880 coal hulk and broken up at Kiel in 1891. Source Skibbygning: armed in Danish service with 48 guns, largest calibre 24pdr. Dimensions 165’4” (prow) x 41’1½” 18’9” (maximum), keel laid down10 July 1840.
