New engine and boilers for the Dutch corvette Hr. Ms. Sommelsdijk in 1896-1897

Archive Machinefabriek en Ketelmakerij Kon . Mij. De Schelde, Vlissingen, Netherlands T.506.664

The new engine no. 152

The Dutch newspaper Middelburgsche Courant dated 13 February 1896 reported that the Department of Navy at the Hague, Netherlands signed a contract with the Kon. Mij. De Schelde, Vlissingen, Netherlands for the delivery and placing of a new engine and boilders in the corvette Hr. Ms. Sommelsdijk.(1) This ship was to return in the summer from the Dutch West Indies. The newspaper De Zeeuw dated 8 August reported her arrival at Hellevoetsuis, Netherlands and that’s she on short notice was to be sent to Vlissingen for her new machinery. The first newspaper reported on the 19th her arrival a day earlier at Vlissingen towed over the North Sea coming from Hellevoetsluis and manned by a private crew. On 29 January 1897 left she Vlissingen again.

According to the specifications was the maximum allowed weight of engine, main boilers filled with heated water to a level of 7”above the highest heating surface around 120 ton. The main engine was to deliver during four hours 700 ihp. It had to be a standing triple expanse with cupper or cast-iron surface condensers, around 150 rpm. Dimensions of cylinders (to be made of excellent cast-iron!) 43,1 x 66 x 104 cm. Stroke around 53,3cm. The boilers were to be single cylinder shaped of high model, one furnace stoked in the front with the fire-tubes above. The telescopic collapsible funnel should have a length of around 12,5 metres/41’ and an internal diameter of 0,81 square metres above the gird surface.

In the order administration of the shipyard was the order registered 20/30 July 1896 to deliver the engine and boilers for ƒ 86.000 excluded 5.616 extra work. The order consisted of:
One triple expansion 700 ihp engine nr. 152: 16½’25”x 39½”x 21”.
Two steam boilers no’s 243-244, weight 134.000 kg, water 7.650 kg, 9’7”x 9’2”, diameter 777 square inch, one fire, 180 pound pressure and grid surface 20 square inch
One Donkey boiler nr. 245, weight 5.135 kg2.685 kg.

Totally building costs ƒ 94.942,66, contracted ƒ 91.616,00 +estimated value of old engine and boilers ƒ 3.326,66 resulting neither profit or loss. The totally costs can be divided over the following parts:
Engine totally ƒ 65.315,57 (labour ƒ 10.843,03, expenses ƒ 7.156,40, stores ƒ 47.316,17)
Boilers totally ƒ 19.951,70 (labour ƒ 5.566,32, expenses ƒ 3.061,47, stores ƒ 11.323,91)
Donkey boiler totally ƒ 2.12m63 (ƒ labour ƒ 602,63, expenses ƒ 328,50, stores ƒ 1.381,50)

Repairs ship totally ƒ 7.362,76 (ƒ labour 2.393,66, expenses ƒ 1.191,12, dry dock ƒ 600,00, stores ƒ 3.177,98)

Note
1. Screw steamship 4th class, call sign GQVD, laid down at the naval yard at Amsterdam, Netherlands on9 July 1881, launched on 15 November 1892, commissioned on 16 August 1884, classified as corvette on 12 May 1893, fitted out as accommodation ship for sailors and added to the Hr. Ms. Het Loo, commissioned on 31 May 1905, later added to the Hr. Ms. Atjeh, decommissioned in March 1912 and transferred to the naval yard at Amsterdam to be fitted out as fishery patrol which was however never realized and finally sold in 1914. Dimensions 45,00-53,60 x 9,00 x 3,60 metres, displacement 850 tons, horsepower 750 ihp, speed 11,43 miles, her crew numbered 88 men and an armament of 1-15cm gun and 3-12cm guns. Iron-built wood planked. Building costs when first fitted out ƒ 614.715,00.

Sources
Archive T214.1216, T.506.224-226, T.506.487-488, T.506.663-664 and T.506.2510.