The Vlissingse Courant dated 27 October 1905 published an item reporting that the Rotterdamsche Lloyd ordered the building at the shipyard of the Kon. Mij. De Schelde at Flushing of a steam mail passenger ship for the Dutch East Line (Java) of the Ophir and Wilis. She was to be named Kawi.
The Middelburgsche Courant dated 15 May 1906 reported that the same day her keel was laid down. The Vlissingse Courant dated 19 June confirmed this news adding that the Kawi a sister ship of the Rindjani was to be completed in summer of the next year. According to the Zeeuw dated 27 November was she to be completed in July 1907.
The edition dated 15 March 1907 referred to the annual account of the Dutch shipping company Rotterdamsche Lloyd over 1906 and reported that the maiden voyage of the Kawi was planned in August 1907.
The edition dated 1 May reported that workman v. W. was hurt while working at the Kawi when a piece of wood fell down on his nose. The work however continued despite the wounded men. On 7 May was an announcement of the burgomaster of Flushing published. The engineer of Rijks Waterstaat [Directorate General for Public Works and Water Management] had informed that the launching of the Kawi on Saturday had some consequences for the traffic. The so-called Schipbrug was closed for any traffic as long as was needed and the same morning was the so-called Tonnenbrug temporarily removed.
The edition dated the 13th reported that actual launching at 14.00 o’clock on the 11th by miss A.M. Dijckmeester daughter of the Commissaris der Koningin in Zeeland. It was already the 13th ship built by the shipyard for the same shipping company and now destined for the line Rotterdam-Dutch East Indies. Her dimensions were 394’0” (between perpendiculars)-408’0” (over all) x 47’0”-23’0” (loaded) and 29’9” (below main deck) - 37’9” (hold below bridge deck) and a loading capacity of 4.250 tons. On the sloop deck were seven life boats available. The passenger accommodation for the 1st class situated amidships consisted of 27 single and 23 duo cabins with totally 73 couchettes and in the duo cabins also a couchette for a child. The large dinner room was suited for 74 persons at the same time made of white oak and decorated with Rosenburg tiles. On the same deck were modern lavatories and bathrooms. On the promenade deck were a ladies room and a cigar lounge decorated in modern design by the firm Mutters&Zoon.(1) This saloon had a length of 96 feet and from one side to the other side of the ship. The accommodation for the 2nd class passengers in the aft ship consisted of 19 cabins and a dinner saloon for 42 persons and the necessary bathrooms. The triple expansion engines and four boilers supplied by 70 rpm and a steam pressure of 200 lbs 4,000 ihp allowing a speed of 14 miles. The ship was fitted out with a fire control and fumigation equipment of Clayton. Further more were on board ice machine with freezer room for victuals, an electric lightning equipment and a electric dough kneading machine for the bread bakery.
The edition dated the 13th supplied more details about the decoration as a result of the royal visit to the ship. For the ladies saloon was white oak used and furthermore panels of Hungarian maple painted with rich motifs. The saloon was divided in smaller compartments with chairs and divans upholstered met light blue velvet and further easy writings desks and a piano in the wood colour. For the cigar lounge was old oak used and further more panels with Rosenburg tiles or inlaid panels with coloured wood species. Partitions were used to create compartments with easy chairs and divans upholstered with red velvet. For decorating the decks were panels painted with Lincrusta Walton used.(1)
The archive of the shipyard Kon.Mij. De Schelde 1875-1970 (Municipality Archive Flushing) supplies the next details. A card system dealing with orders. Sold on 23 August 1927 to Istanbul, Turkey and renamed Izmir. Dimensions 394’0” (between perpendiculars)-406’6” (over all, scrapped was 408’0”) x 47’0”x 29’9” (hold below main deck)-37’9” (hold below bridge deck) and 15’4” with a displacement of 5.007 tons during the trial. Standard deadweight 4.250 tons and standard displacement 8.180 tons. Three decks. Yard no. 123. Speed 14 knots. Single crew. Baptized by Anna Maria Elisabeth Dijckmeester. Building costs ƒ 839.106 included expenses with a contract building sum of ƒ 1.260.000 (ship ƒ 890.000+engines&boilers ƒ 370.000). The ladies saloon and cigar lounge were indeed manufactured by Mutters&Zoon. On 12 September 1907 was the ship visited by queen Wilhelmina and her husband prince Hendrik. Since 1909 was the ship also fitted out with wireless telegraphy. Coal bunker capacity of 940 tons, ballast was 347 tons, feed water 98 tons, drinking water 46 ton and fresh water 54 ton. Ordered on 26 October 1905, keel laid on the South slipway on 15 April 1906, in the rafters on 17 January 1907, plating fitted on 18 March, launched on 11 May, trials while berthed 23 July, official trial 14 September and delivered to hew owner en departed next to Rotterdam, Netherlands. Building time 22,5 months. The 28th started her maiden voyage.
Notes
1. The Koninklijke Meubelfabriek H.P. Mutters&Zoon at The Hague which manufactured furniture and complete interiors for rooms but also for the cabins of aircraft and ships for instance for the famous Titanic!
2. Lincrusta was in fact an embossed wall covering since 1877 available and invented by Frederick Walton. The patterns were emblossed while rolling the wall covering between steel rollers. The base of these wall coverings was heavy canvas with spread on it a paste made of gelled linseed oil and wood flour. Lincrusta could be painted.
