British sand suction hopper dredger Dredger and the Dutch shipyard De Schelde at Flushing in 1904-1905 according to Dutch newspapers

Sistership Thames

The dates are somehow confusing with newspapers reporting that she was build at Rotterdam and at Flushing fitted out with engines and boilers. The shipyard at Flushing supplies in the meantime a yard (building) number as if she was actually built there. In August 1904 was apparently her hull towed from Rotterdam to Flushing. There she indeed was fitted out with the machinery equipment and completed.

The newspaper Middelburgsche Courant dated Tuesday 2 August 1904 reported that in the evening of the Saturday before the sand suction hopper dredger Dredger arrived at Flushing to be fitted out at the shipyard De Schelde with engines and steam boilers before her departure towards Shanghai. She was build at Rotterdam. The newspaper Vlissingse Courant dated 2 August reported that she was towed from Rotterdam to Flushing by the tug Novelty and that she was build by the NV Werf voorheen Rijkee&Co at Rotterdam. The edition dated 8 August reported that she was dry docked to be fitted out with screws.

The Zierikzeesche Nieuwsbode dated 9 February 1905 reported that she was build for the Britisch Dredging Compagnie en to be launched shortly. The Vlissingsche Courant dated Saturday 11 February published an item dated 10 February that she was to be launched Saturday at 10.00 o’clock and that she was a similar vessel to the Thames some months earlier handed over by De Schelde to the same company [British Dredging Compagnie Ltd. of London]. The edition of the Zierikzeesche Nieuwsbode dated 14 February confirmed the launching on the 11^th adding that she had a cargo capacity of 700 tons and fitted out with 4 vertical compound engines of each 100 ihp to be used for propulsion or suction or propulsion and suction at the same time. The suction capacity was 1,000M3 each hour from a depth of 12 metres and while full loaded was her speed 7 knots. The Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad dated 15 February reported her successful launching and mentioning her dimensions of 170 x 30.2’ x 12.5’ and 15.5’ (hold). The edition of the Zierikzeesche Nieuwsbode dated 7 March reported that she was almost completed. Temporarily trials were already executed. The Dredger was similar to the Thames which vessel managed to dredge during the trials 4,000 tons of mud in a hour. The engines made 260 rpm each supplying 120 ihp and driving a twin screw. There were two independent compound surface condensate engines of 120 ihp to drive the two suction pumps with a diameter of four feet making 232 rpm.  The Vlissingse Courant dated Thursday 9 March reported that she left Flushing the same morning for a trial and dredging experiments. The edition dated 11 March published an item dated 10 March reporting that the trials were successful and that she was again dry docked to be cleaned before fitted out for her voyage to Shanghai. The Zierikzeesche Nieuwsbode dated 18 March expected that her departure would be at the end of a week later with as master Visser. The Vlissingse Courant dated 20 March reported that she was brought the 19^th to the outer harbour to bunker coal and so on and that her departure was planned early next week for a voyage of around 70 days to Shanghai while the former master J. Visser was to command her. The edition dated 24 March reported her departure the same morning.

The newspaper Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad dated 31 March 1905 published an item dated Vlissingen 30 March reported that the sand suction dredger Dredger returned from Ouessant at Flushing because she suffered from engine problems. The Vlissingse Courant reported that she returned the 31^th probably caused by the bad quality of the coal she loaded. The edition dated 1 April confirmed her return on the 31th indeed blamed the quality of the coal causing her return. She was to load new and better coal and continue her voyage towards Shanghai. The edition dated Monday 3 April reported that she returned in the afternoon of last Thursday and that she was dry docked in the afternoon of the 3th to be inspected. The 10^th was reported that she left that morning for Shanghai, master S. Visser.

The Zierikzeesche Nieuwsbode dated Saturday 22 April reported her safe arrival at Algiers on Thursday the 20th. The Vlissingse Courant reported her safe arrival on Tuesday 2 May at Port Saïd. The edition of the 18^th however brought worse news. Her voyage was delayed to engine problems and that she was still at Port Saïd. The problems were apparently solved while on 5 June was reported that she left on Friday 2 June Aden with everything well on board. The 17^th arrived she at Colombo and on Sunday 2 July at Singapore. The 21th was reported that she arrived safely at Shanghai. The evening edition of the Algemeen Handelsblad dated 12 August confirmed the arrival at Shanghai on the 20^th and that the damage to her engines mainly consisted of malfunctioning boilers.

The archive of the shipyard De Schelde reports as yard number 114 and the orders for the engines were numbered no.'s 229-232 and for the boilers no's 379-398. There were four compound 2 cylinder (diameter 11”-20”, stroke 12”) engines delivered with a total horsepower of 500 ihp allowing a speed of 7 miles. Her dimensions were 164’0”x 30’2”x 15’5” (hold) and the cargo capacity 740 tons. Ordered on 27 January 1904, keel laid down on 17 March 1904, launched on 11 February 1905, trials on 8, 16 an 17 March 1905 and in March 1905 handed over to the The British Dredging Company of London.

Source

Archive Kon. Mij. De Schelde 1875-1970 inv.nr. 555 (Gemeentearchief Vlissingen archive no. 214).