On 23 March
1914 send the American Electric Boat Company (E.B.C.) specialized in building
submarine her design 203-D as response on the requirements sent by the Dutch
shipyard Kon. Mij. De Schelde at Vlissingen, Netherlands dated 19 February. The
Dutch shipyard built submarines using designs of the E.B. C. since her first
submarine the Luctor et Emergo (later Hr. Ms. O1) laid down in 1904.(1)
The 203-D
was presented as a standard design which had excellent results in practice as
the E.B.C. claimed. Dimensions were not supplied, the displacement is written
down in a pencil note 544,1 (surfaced)-782,0 (submerged) tons.
The speed
while surfaced was 11 knots with 70% horsepower against the 12 knots asked for.
However with both machines full power guaranteed E.B.C. 14 knots and estimated
even 14,5 knots. Wirth a speed of 11 knots was the range 3.150 (guaranteed)-3.500
(estimated) nautical miles. The speed while submerged was 8,5 knots during 3
(guaranteed)-3,25 (estimated) ours., during 1-1,5 hours 9,5 (guaranteed)-10,125
(estimated) hours and a maximum speed during one hours of 10,5 (guaranteed)-11
(designed) knots. With an economic speed of 5 knots was the estimated range 80
nautical miles. The large rudder could be turned very quickly with the
available motor to make the smallest turning circle as possible.
Water
ballast tankage was 88 metric tons or 18% of the submerged displacement. Reserve
buoyancy while surfaced was 111 tons (included 65% of the volume of the
superstructure) comparable with a displacement of 27,8% (surfaced)-23,8%
(submerged). The submarine was designed for a diving depth of 61 metres/200 feet
instead pf the required 40 metres. The ballast tanks used for the hull were
tested with a pressure equal to a depth of 51 metres. The two main bilge pumps
aft had at each a capacity of 1.288 litres/minute, the auxiliary pump placed
amidships had a capacity of 227 litres/minute. So it was possible to free the
tanks from water at the surface within 30 minutes. If necessary were the pumps
capable to blow the main tanks empty within 45 minutes when the submarine was
on a depth of 200 feet.
Personnel
accommodation available for 2 officers and 14 sailors and petty officers. To
make it livable when operating in tropical areas were the living quarters
inside sheated with cork to eliminate the sun heat. Strangely was in this design
no provision made for a refrigerator, which was an absolute must for the Royal
Netherlands Navy with submarines serving in the Dutch East Indies.
The
armament was to consist of 4 internal bow torpedo tubes for which 8 torpedoes
were available.
Against
additional costs was a wireless telegraph to be installed.
Source
Archive
Kon. Mij. De Schelde 1875-1970 (Municipality Archive of Vlissingen) inv.no.
214.802
Note
1. On 24
July 1914 was the submarine Hr. Ms. K III ordered for account of the Department
of Colonies and which was to serve in the Dutch East Indies. Probably the asked
E.B.C. design was a preliminary design for this submarine regarded her
displacement. The Dutch K-series submarines were for service in the Dutch East
Indies and the so-called much smaller O-series for service in the European
coastal waters. In the 1930s was that difference diminished.
