The edition dated Tuesday 31 January 1893 reported that last Saturday with success the first of the two suction dredgers build for the Russian government to improve the river Wolga was launched. Her dimensions were 42 x 7,50 x 2,60 (hold) metres and a horsepower of 375 ihp. Veritas was responsible for the special supervision.
The edition dated Tuesday 20 June 1893 reported that since three weeks two steam dredgers build at the yard Conrad for Russian account were waiting for the lock at Spaarndam. This lock was too small so they waited for an equal water level for opening the in- and outside doors at the same time. Because they have to wait too long was decided to fabricate a so-called coffer dam with doors and in this way lengthen the lock.(1)
Note
1. Another Dutch newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad evening edition dated Tuesday 4 July 1893 reported that the day before was started with the locking in the sluice of Spaarndam of the two large Russian dredgers. Both dredgers build for the Russian Department of Traffic an destined to improve the Wolga were waiting for more as a month to be able to pass this lock. This problem was partly caused by the small length of the lock (just 29 metres) and partly by the long period of drought with a result a great difference between the water levels of the canal and the bosom. Most of the time was the problem solved by opening both doors in the lock but this was now not possible because of the water levels. This was the reason to lengthen the lock with the coffer dam. The dimensions of the lock forced the yard to build ships with a beam of more as 7,5 metres and larger as the length of the lock to build elsewhere. Both Russian dredgers had a length of 42 metres. The order for three steel build hoppers with a load capacity of 320 cubic metres on behalf of the Russian government were again build at Rotterdam. To give an impression of the lost employment: 150 men were needed during 9 months to build these three hoppers. The passing of the lock at Spaarndam by the two dredgers costs around 1,5 hours for each vessel.
