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Saturday 15 October 2016

Kiel Canal not deep enough according to the Dutch newspaper Tilburgsche courant dated 27 July 1902

Brandenburg-class

An item reported that the German battleship Brandenburg (1) temporarily was grounded between Rendsburg and Levensau in the Kiel Canal {Kaiser-Wilhelm-Kanal) but soon was refloated without serious damage. This incident proved that this for strategic reasons dug canal on some places was not deep enough for the modern battleships. If this would happen in wartime could be feared that one single warship when struck would obstruct the passage of the fleet.

Note
1. Building ordered as the ‘A’, laid down at AG Vulcan shipyard, Stettin, Germany with yard number 198 in May 1890, launched on 21 September 1891, commissioned on 19 November 1893, modernized in 1903 in the dry docks at the Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven, Germany in included the adding of a second conning tower in the aft superstructure with gangway, reducing the hamper amidships, replacing the boilers. All together caused the modernisation an increased displacement, replaced by the Deutschland-class battleships added to the reserve, at the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 decommissioned, already withdrawn from actual service in 1915, became barracks ship at Libau [Liepaja, Latvia], stricken on 13 May 1919, sold to Norddetusche Tiefbauges, Berlin to be broken up. Building costs 15.832.0000 mark. Of the Brandenburg-class consisting Brandenburg, Wörth, Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm and Weissenburg, succeeded by the Kaiser Friedrich III-class.