In the 1950s Venezuela was interested in creating a
navy of certain importance. This included the purchase of a cruiser despite
lacking overall naval experience and even having the slightest idea of the
technical specifications for such warships. British and Italian shipyards
already sent plans including drawings and which were now studied to get an idea
of what asked from such a ship operated in the own territorial waters and
beyond. The apparently not complete positive experiences with British built
destroyers would for Venezuela be reason not to give British shipyards an order
for building a cruiser. The Italian Ansaldo yards had until now not built for
Venezuela and so there was none preference for Ansaldo. In an report was
reported that the American naval liaison officer told that Dutch shipyards had
a reasonable chance to get such an order if they gave also plans and drawings
dealing with the armament in advance. Although supplying this material would
not guarantee in getting the order it would again show the Dutch naval know
how.
The visit of the Dutch cruiser Hr.Ms. De Ruyter (1) in
October 1955 and the visit of Venezuelan officers made clear what was possible.
The Venezuelans were impressed when they saw the modern fire control and the
latest electronic devices and equipment. The Venezuelan captain Gherysey Gomes
even wanted to send some of his officers to the Dutch major naval base at Den
Helder, Netherlands for training. The Dutch vice admiral De Booy strongly
advices him to do this although via de official way. Via cocktail parties of
the Venezuelan navy, the Dutch Embassy and the commanding officer was the Dutch
cruiser promoted. In the meetings of Nevesbu was later this visit discussed.(1)
Due to lacking documents it is yet not known why, nut there is never a cruiser
built in the Netherlands for Venezuelan account.
Notes
1. Laid down by Wilton-Fijenoord, Schiedam,
Netherlands on 5 September 1939, launched on 19 December 1941, commissioned on
18 November 1953, sold to Peru on 7 March 1973, commissioned as the Almirante
Grau on 23 May 1973 and not earlier decommissioned as on 26 September 2017 as
the last existing gun cruiser of the world! Displacement was 9.681
(standard)-12.165 (full load) tons and as dimensions 187,32 x 17,25 x 6,72
metres or 614.6 x 56.6 x 22.0 feet.
2.
Nevesbu=N.V. Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw Bureaux at The Hague, an organisation in
which the major Dutch shipyard participated: Rotterdamsche Droogdok
Maatschappij (RDM) at Rotterdam, Kon.Mij. De Schelde (K.M.S.) at Vlissingen,
Nederlandsche Dok en Scheepsbouw Maatschappij (N.D.S.M.) at Amsterdam,
Wilton-Fijenoord at Schiedam and Werkspoor N.V. at Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Source
Archief Kon. Mij. De Schelde 1875-1970 (T214)
inventory numbers 1681 and 1686.
