The Austrian naval program according to the Dutch newspapers in 1857

The newspaper Dagblad van Zuid-Holland en ‘s-Gravenhage dated 18 September published a item dated Vienna 14 September reporting that the American engineer Moller who stayed all ready there for a long period a year earlier came back to Vienna. Last year he spoke about the building of a navy. Since then it was agreed to build the Austrian warships in the USA although it was not decided what kind of ships, ships of the line or frigates.

Another Dutch newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad dated 19 March reported in a news item dated Vienna 15 March that according to the Austrian newspaper Wiener Zeitung the emperor decoded on 28 February that grand duke Ferdinand Max (1) remained in supreme command of the navy. In the meantime was the strengthening of the navy continuously going on. The new steam frigate Donau was some ago launched and the building of a new screw steam ship of the line with 800 hp and 90 guns similar to the Kaiser to be started. Since 1855 were 4 steam frigates each of 31 guns and 300 hp added to the navy. At that moment was the building going of the ship of the line Kaiser, a steam frigate and 2 corvettes. When these ships and the two planned ships of the line were completed was Austria the strongest of the Ital navies. The edition dated 18 September confirmed the arrival of Moller and that he came for accepting orders of the Austrian government for building some warships at American yards although still not was decided if had to be ships of the line or frigates. The edition dated 4 December reported that on behalf of the Austrian navy a new ship of the line named Kaiser, a steam frigate and corvettes were build en after completing of these ships were another 2 ships of the line planned.

Note

1. Ferdinand Maximilian Joseph (6 July 1832 Schönbrunn, Vienna, Austria-19 June 1867 Cerro de las Campanas, Querétaro, Mexico), son of Archduke Franz Karl of Austria and princess Sophie of Bavaria. He became emperor of Mexico as Maximilian I (10 April 1864-19 June 1867). In 1854 was he appointed as commander-in-chief of the Austrian navy and was responsible for modernizing the fleet and the naval bases at Trieste and Pola (nowadays Pula).