Spanish passenger-refrigerated cargo ship Cabo Quilates 1927-1936, Ibai 1936-? and Russian Yenesei/Inenisei ?-? and Baikal ?-1959

Built by Compañia Euskaldunade Construcción y Reparación de buques, Bilbao, Spain for account of Navirea Ybarra in 1927, requisitioned by the Nationalists as prison ship in 1936, after 2 October requisitioned by the Basque Government and renamed Ibai,after the Civil War seized by the Soviet Union when she seek refugee and renamed Yenisei or Dvina and after the Second World War (?) Baikal. The sources about her differs quite a lot. Dimensions 397 (between perpendiculars) x 53 x 26 (loaded) feet and 6,144 tons gross tonnage. Speed 10 (normal cruising) 12 (maximum) knots. The Dutch newspaper Soerabaijasch handelsblad dated 28 December 1937 published an item dated Mexico City 27 December reporting her departure towards Barcelona, Spain with 20 aircraft, victuals and a large quantity of ammunition and 17 former Mexican soldiers wanting in the Republican army. The Haagsche courant dated 27 December reported that she was fitted out with guns on her deck.

Danish ship of the line Valdemar 1858-1864

Sometimes referred to as Waldemar. Laid down at Copenhagen, Denmark on 4 May 1825, launched on 14 August 1828, commissioned in 1829 and stricken/decommissioned on 19 December 1864. Dimensions 180'10" (prow) x 46 x ? x 20'9" (draught) and an armament of, 74 guns.

While used as prison ship in 1848, drawn by Ad. Burmester.

M/S Museet for Søfarts billedarkiv. Source

Dutch tug Rode zee towing the aged warship Penelope from South Africa towards Genoa according to the Dutch newspaper Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant dated 5 February 1914

An item reported that on the 13^th 33° South and 18° East the Dutch tug Rode Zee was hailed underway from Cape Town, South Africa towards Genoa, Italy towing the aged warship Penelope.(1)

Note

1. This must be the British armoured corvette HMS Penelope laid down at the Pembroke Dockyard on 4 September 1865, serving at Simonstown, South Africa as receiving ship after 1887 and as prison ship after 1897. Several websites claimed that she was broken up at Cape Town in 1912. This can’t be true regarded this news item.

Worse living conditions on board of British prison ships at Simonstad according to the Dutch newspaper De Zeeuw dated 5 April 1900

An item reported that the Boers who were held at prisoner of war at Simonstad were suffering badly by diseases. A day earlier were again five men buried. The authorities did all efforts to improve the situation. In the meantime arrived a third transport which could offer more relief.

Note

1. The Second Boer War found place between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902 and ended in a defeat of the Boers and regaining British sovereignty of the Orange Free State and South African Republic (Transvaal). In 1920 became the Union of South Africa part of the Commonwealth.