Laid down at the navy yard at Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1886 (The newspaper Vliegend blaadje dated 11 December 1886 reported that she was laid down), launched in 1887, commissioned on 16 May 1888, fixed mast changed in a mast which could be lowered to be able to pass the railway bridges over the Merwede canal, fitted out with a new steam boiler in 1904, served during the First World War as air station and depo ship for the submarine service at Ijmuiden and Nieuwediep, Netherlands and finally stricken in 1937 while replaced by a new torpedo work vessel called Mercuur. Displacement 140 tons and as dimension 35,10 x 5,60 x 1,98 (fore)-2,92 (aft) metres. Speed 11,91 miles. Major task was to transport and maintain dummy torpedoes and to pick these up after experimental launchings.
The order for the delivery of an engine and boilers was registered on 22 April 1886. The order was accepted for ƒ 33.400,00. One 275 ihp triple compound steam engine and forced draft, 11½”x 17”x 27”, (actually 361 ihp 209 stroke( engine order number 70. One steam boiler order number 102, 9’x 8’, 559 square feet heating surface, 1 fire, 3’3, gird surface 18,31 square feet. The real costs were ƒ 31.320,42 resulting in a profit of ƒ 2.079,58.
Engine ƒ 23.939,20 including ƒ 5.905,7 labour (material ƒ 18.44,62, expenses 93% ƒ 5.492,58).
Boiler with forced draft ƒ 7.381,22 (material ƒ 3.822,76, labour ƒ 2.067,78, expenses 72% ƒ 1.489,68).
She arrived on 16 September 1887 in the Dokhaven, Vlissingen towed by the screw steamboat Zeeland captain P.D. de Vries coming from Amsterdam. The shipyard was in the centre of the town situated including the boiler and engine plant. The trial on Wednesday 9 November was al soon stopped when a minor defect of the ventilator occurred. On Sunday morning 4 December 1886 she departed via the Kanaal door Walcheren back to the navy yard at Amsterdam to be completed. Instead of the contracted horsepower of 275 hp was without any problems 360hp achieved with the engine with a pressure of 10 atmosphere. The trials in the roads of Vlissingen were successful with a maximum speed of 12,95 miles. Along the measured mile was the medium speed 12,8 miles almost 2 miles more as contracted. Diameter cylinders of the enigne11.5-17 & 27” and the stroke 18”. Maximum revolutions of the screw with a diameter of 5’6” was 210. The intention was to arm her with just an minor armament.
In 1903 the same shipyard was ordered to deliver for ƒ 4.000,00 a new boiler of 560 square feet heating surface and a weight of 10.230 kg, registered in the order administration on 1/11 September 1903. The actual building costs of boiler number 379 were ƒ 3.460, 89 (material&cash ƒ 1.473,44, labour ƒ 1.150,81, towage towards the Nieuwediep ƒ 100,00, expenses on labour ƒ 736,64) resulting in a profit of ƒ 539,11. She left Willemsoord on Wednesday morning 26 November 1903 via inland waterways towed by the tug Jacob towards Vlissingen where she arrived on Friday 27th to receive a new boiler. Her master was J. Burgus.
Source
Order administration Kon. Mij. DE Schelde 1870-1975 inventory numbers 1216 and 1217 (Municipality Archive Vlissingen, Netherlands T 214).
