An imaginary Noord-Brabant in Russian colours
The shipyard Kon. Mij. De Schelde at Flushing tried already in the beginning to acquire international orders. In July 1884 were agents appointed at Riga, St. Petersburg and Moscow although without success.
On 26 April 1897 ordered the Royal Netherlands Navy the building of a protected cruiser at the shipyard Kon. Mij. De Schelde at Flushing. Her keel was laid down on 31 August at the south slip with yard number 88, in the thrushes on 22 October 1898 and plating fitted on 17 December was she launched on 17 January 1899 by Miss T. Janszen. She was docked at Middelburg 23 March-1 April and at Rotterdam 27 Augustus-2 September 1899. Berthed trials were on 13-15 July and 26 August 1899 followed by technical trials on 2, 8 and 9 September. The official trial was on 28 September and her handing over to the navy on 1 March 1900. Building costs including fitting out ƒ 3.045.607,00.
The triple compound engines (nrs. 167-168) delivering 10.764 ihp at 145 rpm allowing a speed of20,08 knots. Projected was a total horsepower of 10.000 ihp. The 12 water tube boilers were of the Yarrow-design although slightly modified and manufactured at Flushing. Two screws. The Noord-Brabant was fitted out with two funnels. When she was rebuilt into a guard ship annex accommodation ship was one funnel removed. Range 2.100 nautical miles with 16 knots-4.500 nautical miles with 9.7 knots. The original armament consisted of 2-15cm guns, 6-12cm guns, 6-7,5cm guns, 12-3,7cm (including 4 revolver) guns, 2-7,5cm mortars, 2 torpedo tubes (one submerged) and 2 torpedo guns. The armour consisted of a 50mm thick deck while the conning tower was protected by 100mm thick armour. Dimensions 91,15 (between perpendiculars)-94,70 (over all) x 14,76 x 5,40 x 9,869 (hold) metres or 294’5/8”-310’8 3/8” x 48’5” x 17’9” x 32’5” and a displacement of 3.900-4.033 (with a draught of 5,40 metres) and a tonnage of 1.600 net and around 2.600 gross tons.
The Noord-Brabant was based on a design of the British 2nd class cruiser Apollo built according to the Naval Defense Act of 1889.(1)
British Apollo-class
The Noord-Brabant and her sister ships were divided over two sub-class slighting differing from each other. Her half-sister the Zealand built at the same shipyard was of the Holland-class, somewhat smaller as she was. Further more was the bridge of the thirst 3 ships round shaped, the latter angular. These protected cruisers were to served in the Dutch colonial waters of the Dutch West and East Indies and to protect the connections between the Netherland and her colonies. If war broke they were to also to be used for reconnaissance purposes being backup by the heavier armed and armoured coast defence ships like the Hertog Hendrik.
In 1900 was at Paris the Exposition Universelle (15 April-12 November) attended by the shipyard and resulting in winning a gold medal. On the exhibition were photographs, models and drawings exhibited including the Noord-Brabant and her sister ship Zeeland. The French magazine Genie Civile published an article dealing with her engines. At the same time tried De Schelde to obtain Russian orders resulting in a letter dated 9 May from the chief shipbuilding of vice admiral Verhovskoy at St. Petersburg. He wrote that he took note of the letter dated the 5th of De Schelde and perhaps in the future would ask for more details. Kloos at Werkspoor supplied more details about the Russian way of working(2) He pointed out that although none orders were given, this letter was still of importance. Yet De Schelde became known at St. Petersburg. He had been at St. Petersburg and heard there several times that this Russian admiral was the one who gave the building orders. He advices to sent one of the beautiful photo’s of the Zeeland used at Paris or and that is far more interesting to sent a general arrangement of the Noord-Brabant including Yarrow boilers and Howden’s draught. The risk that the Russians would copy this drawing was pity but not a disaster. On 1 June wrote Kloos that the drawings and photo’s of the Noord-Brabant were indeed very beautiful. He wondered if they were sent St. Petersburg something he would have done. There is no answer preserved and none Russian orders were given. In 1904-1905 were the Russian and Japanese empires in war. Again De Schelde tried to acquire orders from both countries for small and larger ships although again without success. The Noord-Brabant served at that moment in the Dutch East Indies. Together with other Dutch warships was she responsible for preventing the violation of the Dutch neutrality. So was she to stop the Russian Baltic fleet underway towards Vladivostok if this entered Dutch territorial waters without permission despite the fact that the Russian battleships were twice as large and heavier armed. The Noord-Brabant was later rebuilt and used in the training of sailors at Flushing In May 1940 tried her crew without complete to scuttle her preventing a captured by the invading German forces. She was next set into fire. Not worth to be repaired decided was later that year decided to break up.
As guard ship at Flushing between 1926 and 1940
1. The Apollo-class numbered 21 ships. The armour consisted of a 1¼-2” thick deck, 4½” thick gun shields, a 5”thick hatch and the conning tower was protected by 3” thick armour. Dimensions 300’ (between perpendiculars)-314’ (over all) x 43’ x 17’6” for the not sheathed units or 91,44-95,7 x 13,31 x 5,33 metres and a displacement of 3.400 (load) tons for the not sheathed vessels. Speed was 19,75-20 knots. The armament consisted of 2-6” (15,2cm) quick firing guns, 6-4.7” (12cm) quick firing guns, 8-6pdr quick firing guns, 1-3pd quick firing gun, 4 machineguns and 4-14” surfaced torpedo tubes.
2. Cornelis Kloos (1855-1931), deputy director at the De Schelde until 1891 and then appointed at the Navy Department of Werkspoor, Amsterdam 1891.
