Maritime History 9

Vol. 9

Omschrijving

“Then rather be blown up” was probably the last shout of the young navy officer, J.C.J. van Speijck, the naval hero who is still highly regarded in the Netherlands Navy. The illustrations of that dramatic occasion on 5 February 1831 in Antwerp that circulated at the time offered  gripping images of the event.

How do you determine the building scale of an antique ship’s model? Which measuring-staffs did the original model builders use? A search with a surprising result which is summarized in a compelling report by the American restorer Rob Napier during the repairs of the Zeeland VOC return ship Valkenisse of 1717. 

In the seaports and on the rivers it was very busy with small steam tugs during the early 20th century. Sturdy small tugs which, sometimes with a long tow of inland ships between the sea and the hinterland, bridged the transition from sail to engine in inland navigation. One of those, the Volharding 1, is still active as a sailing museum ship and the Maritime Museum Rotterdam still has a seaman’s model of the ship.

Abel Tasman, by order of the VOC, was searching for the then unknown Southland. During that voyage he discovered Tasmania and further partially charted New Zealand and the Fiji islands. In a bay which he would later call “Murderers’ Bay”, he and his men had a meeting with the original inhabitants, the Maoris which went down dramatically. How this ended is told by the New Zealander Robert Jenkin.

Three paintings by Cornelis Claesz van Wieringen relate to the Naval battle at Gibraltar in 1607. Art historian Remmelt Daalder of the Netherlands Maritime Museum in Amsterdam tells about the canvasses and how they came into being.

€18.95