MERCUR training vessel
Posted: Thu Jan 30, 2014 8:42 pm
The stamp is designed after a painting made by Lüder Arenhold from the Prussian Navy transport MERCUR. From the MERCUR don’t exist so far as now know not any drawing or painting, and the painting after the stamp was designed was made in 1904.
Built as a wooden cargo vessel by the yard of J.W. Klawitter in Gdansk for the Prussian Seehandlung .
22 July 1847 launched as the MERCUR.
Tonnage 650 grt, 495 nrt, dim. 43.3 x 8.2 x 2.8m (draught), length of keel 38.2m.
Armament 6 carronades.
Ship rigged.
Copper sheating.
Her maiden voyage in 1848 was in ballast to Rio de Janeiro. During the passage it was found that the ship under full sail was very tender, and needed even when loaded ballast.
On her return voyage she was from April till September at anchor at the Cowes read, due to the Danish blockade of the German coast. A London shipbuilder Young who made a report on the ship found that she was built at the bow too sharp.
When the blockade was lifted she sailed to Hamburg.
18 November 1848 she sailed from Germany bound for Batavia, Dutch East Indies, on her return voyage two crew members were killed the circumstances where they lost their lives on are unknown.
After the company Seehandling finished trading, on 26 March 1850 was she bought by the Prussian Navy and refitted by the Zieske yard in Stettin in a training- transport vessel. While Prussia did not have a dock facility, some work on the ship was carried out at Karlskrona, Sweden.
Displacement 850 tons.
Armament 6 carronades and 6 – 26 pdr. guns.
Ship rigged, sail area 805 m²
Crew 60 – 157.
01 July 1850 commissioned as a school ship. Under command of Capt. Johann Otto Donner
On 4 November 1850 she sailed from Swinemünden but already in the Baltic problems with the iron ballast occuered, which had to be re-stowed and lashed in Helsingør, Denmark, on arrival Falmouth it was found that the ballast was given again problems and for some time it was uncertain if the MERCUR was fit to make a Atlantic crossing.
At least she left and after one voyage in ballast with on board 40 cadets she sailed via, Madeira, Tenerife, Bahia, and Rio de Janeiro to Cape of Good Hope without making a call there due to unfavourable wind, then back via St Helena for emergency repairs and Ascension to Stettin where she arrived on 29 May 1851.
The summer part of the year was used for training voyages in the Baltic Sea.
30 November 1851 decommissioned at the Navy Depot at Stettin.
Refitted and repaired there and the carronades were replaced by six light field guns. It is unclear if the 26 pdrs. were retained or removed.
1857 An official ship list gives that she carried 12 cannons.
21 October 1852 commissioned again and sailed in a squadron under command of Commodore Jan Schröder with the frigates GEFION and AMAZONE to West Africa and then to South America.
In addition of training purposes the voyage was also undertaken to look for possibilities of colonization and exploration opportunities in Argentina.
After a call at Monrovia the squadron arrived on 03 March 1852 in Rio de Janeiro. Then the MERCUR separated from the other two ships she joined the squadron again on 12 March in Montevideo.
04 May she was released from the squadron duties and sailed alone homeward bound arriving on 07 May 1853 in Gdansk.
End September 1853 she sailed again from Danzig together with the GEFION and the paddle corvette DANZIG to the Eastern Mediterranean to show the flag.
Due to the outbreak of the Crimean War the trip was cancelled in March 1854.
In Portsmouth 7 cadets of the MERCUR were disembarked there for further training by the Royal Navy.
07 May 1854 she arrived at Gdansk.
The next few years was she used as a training ship in the Baltic or as a barrack ship.
June 1856 she came in collision during a squadron exercise with the DANZIG.
March 1858 declared unseaworthy but still used as a stationary training ship or for short trips as a training vessel.
14 November 1860 decommissioned.
06 December 1861 sold during a public auction for 11,950 Taler, where after she was scrapped in Gdansk.
North Korea 1983 50ch sgN2317, scott?
Source: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Mercur Navicula.
.
Built as a wooden cargo vessel by the yard of J.W. Klawitter in Gdansk for the Prussian Seehandlung .
22 July 1847 launched as the MERCUR.
Tonnage 650 grt, 495 nrt, dim. 43.3 x 8.2 x 2.8m (draught), length of keel 38.2m.
Armament 6 carronades.
Ship rigged.
Copper sheating.
Her maiden voyage in 1848 was in ballast to Rio de Janeiro. During the passage it was found that the ship under full sail was very tender, and needed even when loaded ballast.
On her return voyage she was from April till September at anchor at the Cowes read, due to the Danish blockade of the German coast. A London shipbuilder Young who made a report on the ship found that she was built at the bow too sharp.
When the blockade was lifted she sailed to Hamburg.
18 November 1848 she sailed from Germany bound for Batavia, Dutch East Indies, on her return voyage two crew members were killed the circumstances where they lost their lives on are unknown.
After the company Seehandling finished trading, on 26 March 1850 was she bought by the Prussian Navy and refitted by the Zieske yard in Stettin in a training- transport vessel. While Prussia did not have a dock facility, some work on the ship was carried out at Karlskrona, Sweden.
Displacement 850 tons.
Armament 6 carronades and 6 – 26 pdr. guns.
Ship rigged, sail area 805 m²
Crew 60 – 157.
01 July 1850 commissioned as a school ship. Under command of Capt. Johann Otto Donner
On 4 November 1850 she sailed from Swinemünden but already in the Baltic problems with the iron ballast occuered, which had to be re-stowed and lashed in Helsingør, Denmark, on arrival Falmouth it was found that the ballast was given again problems and for some time it was uncertain if the MERCUR was fit to make a Atlantic crossing.
At least she left and after one voyage in ballast with on board 40 cadets she sailed via, Madeira, Tenerife, Bahia, and Rio de Janeiro to Cape of Good Hope without making a call there due to unfavourable wind, then back via St Helena for emergency repairs and Ascension to Stettin where she arrived on 29 May 1851.
The summer part of the year was used for training voyages in the Baltic Sea.
30 November 1851 decommissioned at the Navy Depot at Stettin.
Refitted and repaired there and the carronades were replaced by six light field guns. It is unclear if the 26 pdrs. were retained or removed.
1857 An official ship list gives that she carried 12 cannons.
21 October 1852 commissioned again and sailed in a squadron under command of Commodore Jan Schröder with the frigates GEFION and AMAZONE to West Africa and then to South America.
In addition of training purposes the voyage was also undertaken to look for possibilities of colonization and exploration opportunities in Argentina.
After a call at Monrovia the squadron arrived on 03 March 1852 in Rio de Janeiro. Then the MERCUR separated from the other two ships she joined the squadron again on 12 March in Montevideo.
04 May she was released from the squadron duties and sailed alone homeward bound arriving on 07 May 1853 in Gdansk.
End September 1853 she sailed again from Danzig together with the GEFION and the paddle corvette DANZIG to the Eastern Mediterranean to show the flag.
Due to the outbreak of the Crimean War the trip was cancelled in March 1854.
In Portsmouth 7 cadets of the MERCUR were disembarked there for further training by the Royal Navy.
07 May 1854 she arrived at Gdansk.
The next few years was she used as a training ship in the Baltic or as a barrack ship.
June 1856 she came in collision during a squadron exercise with the DANZIG.
March 1858 declared unseaworthy but still used as a stationary training ship or for short trips as a training vessel.
14 November 1860 decommissioned.
06 December 1861 sold during a public auction for 11,950 Taler, where after she was scrapped in Gdansk.
North Korea 1983 50ch sgN2317, scott?
Source: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Mercur Navicula.
.