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| drawing Ron van Maanen, design March 1860 |
Source Turk
The Ceres was not unknown at Flushing while the newspaper Vlissingse Courant (VC) dated 11 June 1835 reported that she was to transfer from the navy yard at Hellevoetsluis on (short) notice to the navy yard at Flushing. The edition dated 31 May 1844 reported her lying in the dock at Flushing and that she was to commissioned on short notice. However the edition dated 19 August reported that she was to be commissioned on 1 September en depart the same year towards the Dutch East Indies to replace the frigate Zr.Ms. Palembang. However the Middelburgse Courant (MC) dated 19 September reported that she still was not commissioned and that now 1 October was planned. The VC dated 25 November referred to a tiding from Den Helder that the Zr.Ms. Cycloop was ordered to transport 100 seamen towards Flushing; destination the Ceres! This vessel was still to depart that same year under command of captain J. Enslie.(2) The edition dated 4 December reported departure on 15 December. She finally left Flushing as on 5 January 1845 Santa Cruz was visited. On 20 June arrived she finally at Batavia. She served some years in the Dutch East Indies and entered on 28 November 1848 Cape of Good Hope underway to the Ntherlands. The Middelburgse Courant dated 27 February 1849 reported that on the 23rd around 09.00 o’clock the pilot cutter no. 7 of Flushing off Dungeness set a pilot on board. She was underway towards Texel. A day later she reached her destination. On 15 March was she decommissioned. The newspaper Sheboygan Nieuwsbode dated 5 May 1857 reported that she was to be rigged and commissioned. Apparently she was at that moment lying at Hellevoetsluis.
Source Turk
The MC dated 30 June 1859 reported the arrival of the frigates Ceres and Prins Hendrik der Nederlanden at Flushing a day earlier while towed by Citadel van Antwerpen and the Vice-admiraal Koopman. Both frigates were to be converted into block ships. The edition dated 2 July reported that the frigates and the paddle steamship Sindoro were now lying in the Dok [dock] at Flushing. This Dok must be the Dokhaven and not the small dry dock [the so-called Perry dok] which had her entrance into the Dokhaven. When the launching of the steam frigate Zeeland failed were the hulls of both frigates used as a sort of lighters to lift up the Zeeland while in the mean way the Cycloop towed her with full power from the slipway. Just with high tide and removal of the ballast out of the two frigates came the Zeeland free.
The edition dated Tuesday 20 September 1859 reported that the morning before she was dry docked [in the Perry dok] at the navy yard at Flushing to be converted into a floating battery. Although the newspaper still called her Ceres was she on 3 August renamed Draak. The edition dated 16 August reported the conversion of the frigates Prins Frederik der Nederlanden and Prinses Sophia into the floating batteries Salamander and Draak.(3) The actual conversion (approved by royal decision on 1 June) started on the 22nd. The result was an decreased draught into maximum 2,80 metres and a displacement of 1.125 tons. The armament was to consist of 8-60 pdrs and 18-20”grenade guns. Van Dijk wrote that after she was undocked on 12 March 1860. The lower part of the hull which was ballasted remained in the dock and the upper part was towed out of the dock. The lower part was to be converted into the floating battery, the lower part was sold. The edition dated Tuesday 13 March 1860 confirmed this. The former Ceres now called Draak was in fact horizontally cut into two parts. On last Thursday morning was the upper part now the floating battery Draak removed from the dry dock and the wreck or lower part on Friday. She was the second battery constructed in the dry dock using a decommissioned ship and which according to the reporter could be of huge value in future event.
Photo Ron van Maanen. Perry-dok anno 2012
According to an article written by an anonymous writer and published in the magazine Tijdschrift voor Neerlands Indië, 1859, (2nd part) no. 11 was this conversion disputable. He wrote that this 36 gun frigate 2nd class 1,5-2 years before nearly was renewed against a huge sum of money and now being converted into a floating battery.
On 12 March 1860 was she launched. Her crew was to number 200 men.The edition dated 22 January 1861 reported that the same morning at the navy yard at Flushing after an public tender A. Monjé was ordered to built iron ‘overdekkingskappen’ [roofs] over the floating battery Draak and the corvette Prins Maurits der Nederlanden for ƒ 2,230. At that moment was the conversion probably all completed.
However the plans with her changed and she was now to be converted into a armoured floating battery to be armed with 13-60 pdrs. The result was an increased beam of 12,43 metres just like an increased draught of 3,15-3,40 metres and a displacement of 1.300-13.75 metrical tons of 1.000 kg. The thickness of the armour varied between 10,0 cm (fore and aft fronts)-11,0 (outside hull)-12,5cm (main deck). The conversion was executed between 1863 and 1866. In the edition dated 12 August 1852 was something said about this conversion. Some time ago started the activities reported that the heavy iron plates fitted to the front and aft fronts were removed to be tested by what he called point bullets. If this test was not successful were the plates replaced by heavier ones. The minister van navy was according to the edition dated 30 October 1860 adviced to armour her completely. The edition dated 21 February 1863 a year later was dealing with the naval defence of the Netherlands of which floating batteries were a crucial part. However the needed batteries were to be as cheap as possible be obtained. With other words ships which could be reshaped and less needed for the common service. For this purpose were already in the past reshaped ships to be first used. The Draak was to be completely armoured and to be used to defend inland waters as the Hollands Diep. (4)
The edition dated 11 June 1867 reported that she left in the morning of the 10th Flushing with as destination Hellevoetsluis on tow of two tugs. The Vlissings Weekblad reported a departure on Monday morning towed by the tugs Brouwershaven and Kinderdijk. The famous Dutch towing company L. Smit&Co. signed on 10 May 1867 (decision minister 30 April no. 90) an order to tow her to Hellevoetsluis for a sum of ƒ 700 (Slepende Rijk, J.H. Bolland). At Hellevoetsluis was she docked in the dry aft dock between 12 June and 30 June 1868.
The model (NG-MGC-1200) was made in 1867 at the navy yard at Flushing and represent the Draak as an armoured 13 guns floating battery from starboard side. A former 44-gun frigate horizontally cut and fitted out with a flat bottom. Upper decks remvied and replaced by an armoured superstructure with fore and aft sloping fronts. Fore and aft parts of this superstructure are higher that the middle section/ Starboard 2 and port side 3 gun ports and in fore and aft fronts 2 gun ports above each other. For sharpshooters were in the opposite fronts three arrow slits to protect the middle lower section of the superstructure.
Reliable url of the museum for this object is https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/nl/collectie/NG-MC-1200
She was commissioned on 16 August 1870 with a crew to number 218 men. The MC dated 17 August confirmed this commissioning on the 16th adding that she was on short notice to be towed by tugs towards the Nieuwediep. Her etat major consisted of captain lieutenant [C.J.] Dammel, lieutenant 1st class Habetz, lieutenants 2nd class Woldringh and Krabbe, officer of administration Kruyt, officer of health Broers and lieutenant of the marines Dibbets. Just like in 1867 was the order to tow her for ƒ 750,- given to L. Smit &Co. (J.H. Bolland, Slepende Rijk). The edition dated 16 September reported that some officers of her lying at Hellevoetsluis gave ƒ 12,50 to the Red Cross. The edition dated the 28th already reported that she was decommissioned by royal order dated the 24th.(5)
Three years later was she considered of no value. She was dry docked art the navy yard at Hellevoetsluis on 6 October 1874 and broken up which was completed at the end of the same month. She was on the moment she entered the dock already described as being no more than a wreck. (6)
Notes
1. Archive Ministerie van Marine. Aanhangels van het marine archief inv. No. 2727. L.K. Turk. Opgaven en berekeningen van Z.M. Schepen van oorlog. Obreen. Catalogus der verzameling van modellen van het department van marine. ‘s-Gravenhage, 1858. See also A. van Dijk. Voor Pampus. De ontwikkeling van de scheepsbouw bij de Koninklijke marine omstreeks 1860. De Bataafsche Leeuw, 1987. Van Dijk described extensively the introduction of the floating batteries in the Royal Netherlands Navy in the 19th century.
2. The later vice-admiral and minister of navy (1851-1854) James Enslie (26 December 1795 Dordrecht-3 July 1877 The Hague).
2. The Prins Hendrik der Nederlanden was renamed Pollux, the Prins Frederik der Nederlanden indeed Salamander but the Prinses Sophia was not Draak but renamed Orkaan.
4. Dutch parliament papers, Second Chamber. Kamerstuk Tweede Kamer 1862-1863 no. LXXIII sub no. 3. Budget 1863. Memorandum of explanation by the minister for navy W.C. Huyssen van Kattendijke. The intention was to fit out the Draak with a complete armour. Totally estimated costs ƒ 234.700,00 consisting of ƒ 13.500,00 for reshaping and materials, ƒ 7.000,00 for wages ƒ 207.200,00 for armour plates with bolts of 11,4 centimetres thickness and ƒ 7.000 for iron plates of 1,6 centimetres.
5. Dutch parliament papers, Second Chamber. Kamerstuk Tweede Kamer 1871-1872 no. 2VI subno. 39. Budget 1872. Costs expended for ships in service in 1870. Chapter shipbuilding materials ƒ 3.130,16 and wages ƒ 2.815,17½, totally ƒ 5.945,33½.The costs for her first fitting out were ƒ 81.756,50.
Dutch parliament papers, Second Chamber. Kamerstuk Tweede Kamer 1872-1873 no.. 25 subno. 2. The account of the navy to secure the Dutch neutrality in 1870 described her as being in a vary unsatisfying condition. The cause of this was seek in the fact that she since her reshaping in 1860 was ’laying in the water’. No. 48 subno. 3 was the final report of the commission to investigate the measures taken to secure the neutrality. She reported that the Draak was in a very insufficient condition, commissioned on 1 September but which was not completed during the war between France and Germany. It was considered to be curious that this battery which was officially completed since 1860 according to the orders of 1870 was mentioned not to be ready for service.
6. Dutch parliament papers, Second Chamber. Kamerstuk Tweede Kamer 2VI subno. 34. Budget for 1874.Described as lying at Hellevoetsluis and considered to be broken up. Archive marinewerf Hellevoetsluis no. 507 (National Archive at The Hague).
