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Tuesday 26 September 2017

The condition of the Dutch paddle steamship Zr.Ms. Admiraal van Kinsbergen as described in a letter to the editor published in the Dutch newspaper Java-bode dated 17 April 1873


In a letter published in this newspaper an anonymous  Dutch navy officer described the miserable condition of the Dutch warships serving at that moment in the Dutch East Indies. He was quite cynical in his comment dealing with the condition of the ships ending with the phrase Happy Indies! Happy Navy! Poor Netherlands!

The Zr.Ms. Admiraal van Kinsbergen was probably still in good condition while there were no remarks made.(1)

Note
1. Paddle steamship 4th class, call sign GQBN, built at the shipyard of the Nederlandsche Stoomboot Maatschappij at Rotterdam, Netherlands but apparently disassembled and assembled at Surabaya, Dutch East Indies in 1853-1854, commissioned on 7 May 1853, docked at Bandjermassing, Dutch East Indies 21 August-15 September 1877, decommissioned 25 December 1877 at Surabaya, Dutch East Indies, condemned, displacement 293 tons and as dimensions 45,72 x 6,50-12,40 (over side wheels) x 1,70 metres, horsepower 70 hp, armament one 30 pd gun and a crew numbering 43 men (1877).