An item reported the visit of the French torpedo transport La Foudre at Sabang, Dutch East Indies. On deck were 2 submarines and 4 torpedo boats stored, well covered to prevent any details could be seen. She toke coal on board and left directly for Saigon. The Deli courant dated 24 June reported her arrival on 7 June at Sabang where she loaded 300 ton coal. She saluted with 21 shots accepted by the Dutch cruiser Zr.Ms. Gelderland. The Het nieuws van den dag voor Nederlandsch-Indië dated 4 October 1904 reported her arrival on short notice at Singapore with a flotilla of 9 torpedo boats bound for Saigom. Probably the ships would bunker at Singapore just like the last convoy did and not at Poeloe Weh, Dutch East Indies where French warships used to bunker. The new Entente and actions of the French consul resulted in ending the boycotting of Singapore by French naval authorities. The locomotief dated 30 May 1904 described her as a fast seaworthy ship with a sped of 19 miles transporting 8 torpedo boats and fitted out with a complete torpedo workshop. The torpedo boats were transported to the requested position and there launched.
Notes
1. Cruiser torpedo boat carrier, laid down by C.A. Gironde, Bordeaux-Lormont/ Schneider, Creusot, France in 1892, launched on 20 October 1895, commissioned on 23 October 1897 and sold to be broken up on 27 May 1922. She went twice to Saigon with torpedo boats and submarines (Protée, Lynx, Perle and Esturgeon). Stephen S. Roberts. French Warships in the Age of Steam 1859-1914.
2. Sabang was an important coal bunker station visited by Dutch and foreign merchant and warships.
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