An item reported that at the signing of the armistice after the First World War the Turkish merchant marine just numbered 28 ships with a total net measurement of 18.000 tons. Since then were several ships bought to full fill the minimum needs of the coastal trade which was a monopoly of the Turkish merchant marine since the treaty of Lausanne. Although many of the purchased ships had a limited value because of their age the fleet was increased from 25 to 113 ships with 85.000 gross and 52.000 net tons, excluded the 25 tugs of 4.800 tons. Except for these purchases by private Turkish ship owners bought the government Steam Shipping Company Seïri-Sefanie also some larger ships including the former Dutch steamship Wiles (now renamed Kara-Denis), an even larger steamship in England and two of the wood-built steamships built during the war in the USA and which were launched in 1919 measuring 2.924 gross tons.(1) The latter two ships were the youngest in the Turkish merchant marine. For these purchases was the budget used approved a year earlier by the National Assembly.
Note
1. The newspaper Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad dated 10 June 1924 confirmed the sale of the passengership/freighter Wilis to Turkey by shipbroker Jacq. Pierot jr. although reporting that she was renamed Altin Tasch. The Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant dated 17 June however said that she was not renamed Altin Tasch but Kara Deniz. She was built in 1905 at the shipyard of the Kon.Mij. De Schelde in Flushing. In the order administration of the Dutch shipyard Kon. Mij. De Schelde the following details dealing with her building are available. Her building was via a telegram ordered by the Rotterdamsche Lloyd on 17 March 1903, followed by an official order on the 22nd. Her keel was laid on on 15 October 1904 on the Zuid Helling (southern slip), between trusses on 3 March 1905, plating fitted on 6 May and launched on 10 June by Willem Ruys son of Bernard Ruys, trials while anchored on 4 August, official trial on 8 August and delivered to the owner same day and on 19 August begun her maiden voyage. Built in 16,5 months in weeks of 66 hours and since 27 April 1905 weeks of 71 hours. In an early stadium ordered for low steel prices, contracted building price ƒ1.235.000, wages without expenses ƒ 168.000, building costs ship included expenses ƒ 828.083,-. In 1909 was she fitted out with wireless telegraphic equipment. With a displacement of 2.590 (launching)-4.900 (trials)-8.180 tons, deadweight 4.250 tons and dimensions 120,09 (between perpendiculars)-123,89 (over all) x 14,33 metres x 8’0” (fore launching)-9’11½” (aft launching) and 9,07 (below maindeck)-11,51 (below bridge) metres or 394’0”x 406’6”x 47’0” x 8’0”-9’11½”. Speed 14 knots, one screw and coal bunker capacity 928 tons. Ballast capacity 347 tons water. Broken up in 1954 at Porto Venere.
