Belgium News, 1900 Onward

[The Rock Doctor]

July 3, 1900

The Congo Free State hereby puts forth a tender for one or more "Coastal Defence Ship" and seeks bidders willing to undertake its construction.

Specifications:

Dimensions:  Ideally, less than 120 metres in length.

Maximum draft (under full load conditions):   5.0 metres

Armament:   Sufficient to deter hostile behaviour by unfriendly powers, in an arrangement appropriate for activity along the lower Congo River.  Compatibility with Belgian Navy ordnance would be useful but is not mandatory.

Armor:   Appropriate for defence of vital areas.

Range/Speed/Performance:  Suitable for extended partrols in the lower Congo River, and for occasional ferry trips to/from Belgium and the place of construction.

The Congo Free State has no specific design characteristics in mind beyond those specified above, and invites bidders to be innovative.  It would prefer to evaluate bids in time for orders to be placed for 1901. 

OOC:  I'm prepared to make BP available in the form of generic steel or other materials to offset builder's output.  My specifications are intentionally vague - I want you guys to wow me.

[Guinness]

What's the usable depth of the Lower Congo anyway?

[The Rock Doctor]

I haven't got sounding depths, but the most shallow of the three river ports on the lower stretch is Banana's 5.2 metres - which is kind of odd given that it's closest to the ocean.  Something with a more shallow draft would presumeably have more freedom to manuever laterally along the river.

[Guinness]

So realistically, 5 meters is probably the max, and a design that draws less would be better.

[The Rock Doctor]

Yup. 

[snip]

I cant seem to find what the Belgian Navy has for domestic guns. Of course the UK would be more then happy to provide its own guns and a ready supply of ammunition for them.

[The Rock Doctor]

I haven't got a specific thread for it - just generic 6", 4", and 57mm with default SS weights, I think.  The protected cruiser and sloop designs would have them...

...I've posted thread in the Ship Design Forum for actual designs; please post 'em there.