Model Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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!
Of the Dutch corvette Zr.Ms. Vice Admiraal Koopman was the shaft torn while her aft ship was too weak and bended so that it even became necessary to remove one of her guns. It was very doubtful if she would ever to be used for properly steaming.(1)
Note
1. Vice-Admiraal Koopman, screw steamship 2nd class, ex-Leeuwarden, on stocks at the navy yard at Amsterdam, Netherlands by H.A. van der Speck Obreen 18 October 1856, renamed Vice Admiraal Koopman 20 May 1857, launched 29 April 1858, served in the Dutch East Indies, already reported in worse condition with a broken shaft and a weak aft ship with doubts about her decommissioned being condemned and not worth to be repaired 7 August 1876, sold to be broken up 1877, displacement 1.600 ton, dimensions 56,00 x 11,25 x 5,40 metres, horsepower 250nph/700 ehp allowing a speed of 9 knots, an armament of 11 guns (6 long 30pd guns, 5 rifled 16cm guns) and a crew numbering 140 men.
