Den Helder, Netherlands 13-8-2004
An item reported the arrival of the Dutch ram turret Zr. Ms. Schorpioen that afternoon in the navy dock at Amsterdam, Netherlands towed through the Noord-Hollands Kanaal for replacement of her boilers and other maintenance.(1)
Note
1. Ram turret, call sign GQTM, on stocks at the Soc. des forges et Chantiers at Toulon, France in August 1867, launched 18 January 1868, commissioned at Toluon on 17 May 1868, trial on 16 September 1868, decommissioned on 14 February 1903, stricken but laid up at Willemsoord, Netherlands on 28 November 1906, rebuilt at the Maatschappij Fijenoord, Rotterdam, Netherlands as accommodation ship 1907-1908, commissioned on 1 9 April 1909 as accommodation ship and used until she was stricken on 17 January 1982, sold in 1982, transferred to Vlissingen, Netherlands, later towards Middelburg, Netherlands and nowadays lying as museum ship at Den Helder. Dimensions 58,95 x 11,58 x 4,85m, displacement 2175 ton, 2 2 cylinder engines,2269 iph, speed, 12.82 knots, originally 2 rifled 23cm guns, 110 later 137 men. Armament originally 2 rifled 23cm guns in one turret, in 1884 replaced by 1-28cm gun, 5-3,7cm guns and 2-3,7cm revolver guns. The armour consisted of a 7,6-15,2cm thick belt, gun turret and conning tower protected by 20,3-28cm respectively 11,4cm and a 1,9-2,5cm thick deck. Costs when first fitted out ƒ 1.157.408.
