Photographer Willem Frederik Boelsums, 1895 - 1915.
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Netherlands. Original source
In the meeting of the commissaries on 4 May 1889 was reported that the Dutch Department of Navy asked for tenders for building a ram turret to sent before the 25th.(1) The commissaries decided to sent engineer Martin first to Glasgow to obtain more details about building such a ship before possible making a tender. On 21 May reported director Jos. van Raalte with engineer Martin and the engineers of the British company Fairfield Works (2) calculations to have made resulting in around ƒ 2.900/m. Chairman Smit however wanted first to study himself the calculations before discussing the price on the 23rd. Further more wanted he to discuss if it was possible to accept such a large order considered the many orders already contracted. Indeed was on the 23rd discussed if the shipyard would sent a tender. Van Raalte thought that it was possible to accept such a large order without resulting in delays for the orders now executed. In the first six months were only the drawings made en the necessary materials ordered. After this half year were shipbuilders available now working at the ships for the Kon. Paketvaart Mij. (3). The machine and boilers plants had no problem with an important increase of work. Yet there was another problem. The director of the Kon. Pakertvaart Mij. was not satisfied with the progress of the work and already made clear that he would protested if the yard accepted more work. Chairman Smit would visit Mr. Tak van Poortvliet to explain that accepting the order would give no problems for his ships.(4) The commissaries decided to sent a tender asking ƒ 2.793/m. The order was given to another shipyard which asked ƒ 2.557/m.
Notes
1. This tender was probably for the Koningin Wilhelmina der Nederlanden of which the building was ordered at the Kon. Fabriek van Stoom- en andere werktuigen at Amsterdam, Netherlands. While this shipyard was liquidated was she on 22 April 1891 laid down at the navy yard at Amsterdam and launched on 22 October a year later. With a displacement of 4.600 tons were her main dimensions 99,80 x 14,90 x 6,08 metres. The armament consisted of 1-28cm gun, 1-21cm gun, 2-17cm guns, 6-7,5cm guns, 2-7,5cm mortars, 10-3,7 cm guns (of which 4 revolvers), 2 torpedo tubes and 2 torpedo guns. Sold in 1910 to be broken up.
2. Members of the family Pearce were chairman of this British firm and involved in the founding of the Kon. Mij. De Schelde.
3. For this shipping company were in these years four passenger ships built namely the Both, Reael, Coen and Maetsuycker with yard numbers 68-71.
4. Strangely enough was in the meeting of 23 June reported that lacking a sufficient number of experienced labourers it was considered to transfer the building of the fourth ships of this company to another shipyard, namely J. Smit&Zoon! On 5 August was reported that such a contract for building the hull was signed.
Source
Municipality Archive Flushing (214) Archief Kon. Mij. De Schelde 1875-1970 inv.no. 6. Minutes of the meetings of commissaries 13 November 1875-9 June 1894.
