RvM
In 1908 tried the Dutch shipyard De Schelde in Flushing, Netherlands to get the order for building a so-called torpedo cruiser of 1.000 tons, a draught of 3,55 metres and a speed of 21 knots for the Uruguayan government. An interesting document supplies more details about the several shipyards which were interested in the tender on 20 January 1908 at Montevideo. These shipyards were with between the brackets theirs offered cost price in British pound sterling Sainte Nazaire (103.600), Armboise&Foucher (114.000), L. Nixon&Co., New York (105.383), Cammell Laird&Co. (109.700), Goteberg Nika, Sweden (113.500), Ansaldo Armstrong (116.000), John Brown&Co. (116.500), At. et Ch. De la Loire ( 116.900), Thames Iron Works (117.600), Odero, Aless&Co. (121.600), Armstrong, Elswick (122.000), Vickers Sons&Maxim (125.800), Thornycroft&Co. (130.000), Fratelli Orlando (131.200), Forges&Chantiers de la Méterranee (131.200), Krupp (135.056), A. Normand&Co. (139.200), Schichau (153.000), Vulcan, German (155.745) and W,. Beardmore&Co. (156.700), totally 21 shipyards strangely enough without mentioning de Dutch shipyard.
Yet, there is a budget dated February 1908 that they were able to built a torpedo cruiser of 250’x 30’6”x 16’ for 120.000 pound sterling included 43.000 pound profit for the yard. The guns were to be bought from Krupp consisting of 2-12cm quick firing guns and 4-7.5cm quick firing guns. From Merrem&La Porte were 6-3,7cm machine guns and 6-0.79 Maxim machineguns, including 2 naval landing carriages and 2 limbers and 3.000 rounds of ammunition for 6.543 pound sterling to be bought. Costs of necessary material 60.000 pound sterling, wages 55.000 and unforeseen 30.000, cost of ship totally 685.000 + 246.000 for the engines (2 engines+3 water tube boilers), totally 931.000 ready for departure, costs of voyage towards Uruguay 40.000, risks for last term of 20% 186.000, totally 1.157.000+profit=1.200.000 pound sterling.
The German firm Gesellschaft für drahtlose telegraphie at Berlin could deliver for a price of 14.500 German marks a wireless radio-station with a range of 150 (Morse recorder)-300 (aural receiver) kilometres. The Whitehead&Co. at Fiume was to deliver the torpedoes although not to the shipyard but directly to the Uruguayan government. They supplied (financial) details dealing with the torpedo tubes and tubes to able the shipyard for using it in her tender.
The extensive specifications for a twin-screw torpedo gunboat dated September 1907. The principal dimensions were 76,200 (between perpendiculars)-79,249 (load waterline) 79,05 (over all) x 9,296 (moulded) x3,150 and 4,877 depth moulded to upper deck or 250’0”-260’0”-261’6” x 30’6” x 10’4” and 16’0” and a displacement of 1.077 tons, a speed of 21 knots and with a coal bunker capacity of 250 tons and speed of 12 knots was her range 3.000 knots. She was to be fitted out with two pole masts and 2 sets four-cylinder triple expansion engines supplying 5.200 ihp at 235 rpm. The two 18” torpedo tubes were to be placed on deck with a central pivot and to be manufactured by Whitehead&Co.
The website http://navypedia.org/ships/uruguay/uru_dd_uruguay.htm supplies more details about this ship. The German shipyard Vulkan at Stettin, Germany was finally ordered to built the torpedo gunboat Uruguay, in Uruguayan service called a cruiser. She was laid down in 1908, launched on 12 April 1910, completed in August, arriving on the 20th of that month in Montevideo and finally stricken in May 1951. In contrary to the design was she not armed with Krupp guns but with 2x1-12cm Skoda and 4x1-7,6cm Skoda guns and 6x1-3,7cm Vickers Armstrong guns and 2x1-45,cm torpedo tubes. Her crew numbered 125 men. The vertical expansion engines and four Normand boilers supplied 5.700 hp allowing a speed of 23 knots and with a speed of 12 knots and a coal bunker capacity she had arrange of 3.000 nautical miles. The armour consisted of a 1,7cm thick nickel steel deck. With a standard displacement of 1.400 tons were her dimensions 85,0 (between perpendiculars) x 9,40 x 3,60 (maximum) metres. According to the website http://navypedia.org/ships/uruguay/uru_dd_uruguay.htm was she broken up in 1953. Jane’s Fighting ships 1944/1945 added that she originally was intended to service as training ship for midshipmen.
The Dutch newspaper Het Vaderland dated 5 May 1934 described her in a news item dealing with the topic torpedo cruisers or according to the reporter a flotilla leader. He described her as one of the newest examples of a torpedo cruiser. This type of ships were in his opinion miniature cruisers with a speed comparable to the real cruisers. As technical details was reported 1.150 tons and as dimensions 84 x 9,5 x 3,4 metres, 1,7cm thick nickel steel armament, a horsepower of 5.700 ahp, 215 tons coal bunker capacity, speed 23 knots, a crew of 120 men and an armament of 2-12cm Skoda quick firing guns, 4-7.5cm Skoda quick firing guns, 6-3,7cm guns and 6 machineguns of Vickers and 2-45cm torpedo tubes.
Another Dutch newspaper De Sumatra Post dated 19 July 1932 reported that she caused braking of the diplomatic relations between Uruguay and Argentina. When she visited Buenos Aires was she very intensively checked by the Argentinean authorities and harassed by Argentinean warships. The Argentinean government thought that the former revolutionary general Toranzo was on board something the Uruguayan cabinet denied. The newspaper Nieuwsblad van het Noorden dated 14 July reported that she was heavily guarded by Argentinean warships and solemn escorted back to Uruguayan waters.
Source
Archive Kon.Mij. De Schelde, Flushing, Netherlands (Municipality Archive Flushing no. 214) inventory no. 815
