An item referred to the magazine Proc. dated February 1936 reporting that the former captain Mendes Norton managed to enter the flotilla vessel Bartolomeu Diaz. Oil bunker capacity was 580 ton(1) berthed on the Taag in September 1935. He arrested the officer of the guard trying to convince her crew that what he was doing was of national interest. The intention was to force the cabinet to retire. The commanding officer of the Bartolomeu Diaz however arrived and arrested Norton. The latter served for 45 years in the Portuguese navy with a good track record. He was banned for 8 years and had to pay a penalty of 1 million escudo’s (in Dutch money around 70 guilders).
Note
1. A sloop of the Albuquerque with just one sister ship the Alfonso de Albuquerque. Laid down on 24 May 1933 at R.&W. Hawthorn Leslie&Co. Ltd., Hebburn-on-Tyne., England, launched on 10 October 1934, completed in May 1935 and around 1965 hulked. With a crew numbering 184-189 men. The displacement was 1.780 (standard)-2.400 (full load) tons with as dimensions 99,60 x 13,49 x 3,81 metres or 326’9”x 44’3”x 12’6”. The horsepower of 8.000 shp supplied by 2 Yarrow boilers and Parsons turbines allowed a speed of 21 knots. Fuel bunker capacity was 580 tons. The armament consisted of 4x1-12cm guns, 2x1-7,6cm guns, 4x1-4cm anti aircraft guns, 2 depth charge throwers and finally she could take with her 40mines. In the sixties called frigate but rated as 1st class sloop with as pennant F471.
