Iron-build and wood planked. Laid down at the naval yard at Amsterdam on 3 March 1875, launched on 6 December 1876, commissioned on 1 November 1877, in 1906 fitted out at the yard De Lastdrager, Den Helder, Netherlands as an accommodation to replace the Hr.Ms. Het Loo and commissioned on 8 November at Willemsoord and also used as gunnery ship for sailors and the Dutch Royal Navy Reserve, decommissioned as gunnery ship on 21 May 1921 and became accommodation for the air service at Willemsoord, in 1922 disarmed and stricken.
With the dimensions 80,00-91,85 x 12,50 x 6,10 metres had she a displacement of 3,160 tons. The engines were manufactured by the Koninklijke Fabriek van Werktuigen en Spoorwegmateriaal at Amsterdam and 4 boilers supplied 2,750 hp and while driven a double bladed screw allowing a speed of 14,25 miles and she was fitted out with sails with a total area of 1,585M2. When under sail her telescopic funnel could be lowered and the screw lighted. Her crew numbered 200 men. The original armament consisted of 6-17cm guns and 4-12cm guns, the latter were replaced in 1910 by 4-7,5cm guns.
The Middelburgsche Courant dated Wednesday 6 December 1876 wrote that she was to be launched on Wednesday 6 December around 13.00 o’clock and that immediately after the launching the keel was to be laid down of her sister ship De Ruyter. The edition dated two days later reported the launching at 13.30 o’clock which was sighted from tribunes with a large number of authorities and guests. The little daughter of the deputy director of the yard was to allow to cut the rope to which the weights were confirmed. He was described as a graceful ship but the beautiful lines were spoiled by two large portholes to be able to shoot straight ahead or abaft.
