In 1875 was at Vlissingen, Netherlands the shipyard
Kon. Mij. De Schelde founded. She was the first Dutch yard which started with
the building of submarines. With still the first submarine under construction
she started exploring markets in Europe including Belgium.(1) The first submarine
built at Vlissingen were based on a design of the American Electric Boat
Company. Without permission from the Americans the yard was not permitted to
build and delivered submarines except for the Royal Netherlands Navy. On 3
April wrote De Schelde director Van Raalte to Mr. Rice director of the EBC at
New York that the former Dutch navy lieutenant Paul Koster came with a proposal
for building a submarine of the Holland type for a foreign government although
declining to say which country. Van Raalte wrote furthermore that the unknown
government wanted to choose between the Holland, Lake and German types. In his
letter of the 24th Van Raalte informed Rice that the yet unknown
government was Belgium. In the meantime was the Dutch department for foreign
affairs asked for supporting the exercise in Belgium. The Dutch ambassador
at Brussels Jhr. Van der Staal van Piershil
received orders tot o do anything possible for the yard. Rice was on 10th
May again informed about what was going on. In te meantime were negotations
started with the Belgian government and Van Raalte accompanied by Koster went
to Brussels. The hope was that on short notice more was known about the Belgian
intentions. The American Lake Company also arrived at Brussels to introduce
their boat. The efforts however were fruitless despite all efforts. Belgian
officials were invited to come to the shipyard and see the submarine in
reality. They did not accept the invitations as Van Raalte wrote to Rice on the
18th and he was convinced that Belgium was even not interested in
ordering. The Belgian Ministère des Chemins de fer-administration de la Marine
wrote on 12th (no.33/1102) not able to sent any officer and on the
12th May wrote general major Libbrecht the same.(2)
Koster seemed to have high-level contact within the
Belgian government although not resulting in any orders. He became himself later
director of the submarine department of the Whitehead plant at Fiume,
Austro-Hungaria although still involved in obtaining orders for the Dutch
shipyard including a minelayer for Belgian account.
It’s interesting to investigate in the archives of the
Belgian government if there are documents dealing with the visits of at least
the Dutch shipyard and the American Lake company.
Notes
1. The first submarine was as the Luctor et Emergo
laid down on 1 June 1904, launched on 8 July 1905 and delivered to the Royal
Netherlands Navy on 20 December 1906. She was commissioned as the Hr.Ms. O 1.
Displacement 105,3 (surfaced)-124,5 (submerged) tons and as dimensions 20,421
(over all) x 3,581 x 3,891 metres. Speed 8,35 (surfaced)-7 (submerged) knots.
Armed with 1-45cm bow tube for which 3 torpedoes could be carried and a crew
numbering 10 men.
2. Emile Joseph Jean Libbrecht (24 October 1848,
Zelzate, Belgium-19 December 1912 Brussels, Belgium(, retired in the rank of
lieutenant general of the artillery in the Belgian navy, between 1899-1906 director
general of the administration and cabinet of the department of war.
Source
Archive
Kon. Mij. De Schelde 1875-1970 inv. numbers 202, 224, 298 and
304-305 (Towns archive Vlissingen).
