German submarine shipbuilding and the first Russian submarine Forelle according to Dutch newspapers in 1901 and 1903

The Middelburgsche Courant dated 8 May 1901 reported that at the yard at Danzig men were building at something however what was unknown while men were working with the greatest mystery. Although some expected it were submarines doubt the newspaper this while according to an earlier research the water in the German estuaries was so dim that it was not possible to steer with submarines which were submerged.

The Vlissingse Courant dated 28 October 1903 reported that at that moment the building in Germany of a new submarine nearly was completed. She was built with materials delivered by the firm Krupp and based on a design of a well known Spanish engineer. She all ready had done one trial in the Bay of Eckernforde and stayed during two hours submerged. She was electrically driven.(1)

Note

1. According to the website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-boat built the Germaniawerft at Kiel, Germany in 1903 the Forelle which was sold in April 1904 to Russia. The Spanish engineer was Raymondo Lorenzo d’Equevilley Montjustin. Norman Polmar/Jurrien Noot in their book Submarines of the Russian and Soviet Navies 1718-1990 said the engineer was French and not Spanish but did mentioned the building of a submarine at the German yard called Forelle and which was visited by Russian naval officers on 25 March 1904. With a displacement of 5½ tons had she a length of 42’8” and a 65 hp electric motor. She was laid down in February 1903 and completed in June the same year. Bought by Russia left she Kiel on 20 June 1904 towards St. Petersburg. After trials with diving and torpedo firing in July and August was she by railway transported to Vladivostok.