THE YANGTZE RIVER PATROL - Imperial German Navy
by Randy Pence
S.M.S. Seeadler (M.S.P. 11)
![[postcard_from_seeadler]](javascript:pop_up_image('yang_german/img1.jpg',new Array('Postcard from Seeadler'),'Postcard from Seeadler');)
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- The card was mailed on September 24, 1901 during the Seeadler's deployment to protect German interests in the midst of the Boxer Rebellion.
- She was at Nanking at this time,
- The sailor was writing to a friend in Kiel, who was stationed on the S.M.S. Brummer, a training vessel (Schulshift) for the German Navy
S.M.S. Seeadler (M.S.P. 11)
![[image_of_seeadler]](javascript:pop_up_image('yang_german/img2.jpg',new Array('Image of Seeadler'),'Image of Seeadler');)
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- Image of Seeadler
S.M.S. Seeadler (M.S.P. 11)
![[postcard_from_seeadler]](javascript:pop_up_image('yang_german/img3.jpg',new Array('Postcard from Seeadler'),'Postcard from Seeadler');)
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- The Seeadler was built by Kaiserliche Werft Danzig and commissioned on August 12, 1892. She was sent to Chinaduring the Boxer Rebellion and in February of 1904 to protect German interests during the Russo-Japanese War.
- This post card was sent shortly after deployment to China, and features Silver Island off of Chianking in the Yangtze.
- She blew up in the harbor of Wilhelmshaven on April 19, 1917.
- Her complement comprised nine officers and 152 enlisted men.
S.M.S. Seeadler (M.S.P. 11)
![[image_of_seeadler]](javascript:pop_up_image('yang_german/img4.jpg',new Array('Image of Seeadler'),'Image of Seeadler');)
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- Image of Seeadler
S.M.S. Vaterland (M.S.P. 10)
![[postcard_from_vaterland]](javascript:pop_up_image('yang_german/img5.jpg',new Array('Postcard from Vaterland'),'Postcard from Vaterland');)
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- The Vaterland's history is most intriguing. Built by Ebing-Schichau-Werft as a river gunboat specifically for China, she was commissioned on May 28, 1904 in Shanghai. Her complement comprised three officers and forty four enlisted men.
- When China entered World War I, the Vaterland was seized by the Chinese government and renamed Li-Sui. At the outbreak of Sino-Japanese hostilities in 1931, the Li-Sui was captured by the Japanese in 1932, and renamed the ISJN Risui -- then assigned to the Amur River. Some scholars indicate that the Risui was captured by the Russians on August 22, 1945 during the Soviets brief WW II campaign against the Japanese. She was then renamed the TS Pekin
- The postcard was sent on January 30, 1910, while the Vaterland was in Chungking.
S.M.S. Vaterland (M.S.P. 10)
![[image_of_vaterland]](javascript:pop_up_image('yang_german/img6.jpg',new Array('Image of Vaterland'),'Image of Vaterland');)
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- Image of Vaterland
S.M.S. Bussard (M.S.P. 51)
![[cover_from_bussard]](javascript:pop_up_image('yang_german/img7.jpg',new Array('Cover from Bussard'),'Cover from Bussard');)
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- The S.S.S. Bussard was an unprotected cruiser that was commissioned on October 7, 1890, with a crew complement of 9 officers and 152 enlisted men. She served at various overseas assignments, and was scrapped in 1913.
- The cover is dated July 3, 1902, and bears a return address of Nanking, China.
S.M.S. Bussard (M.S.P. 51)
![[image_of_bussard]](javascript:pop_up_image('yang_german/img8.jpg',new Array('Image of Bussard'),'Image of Bussard');)
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- Image of Bussard
S.M.S. Gefion (M.S.P. 38)
![[postcard_from_gefion]](javascript:pop_up_image('yang_german/img9.jpg',new Array('Postcard from Gefion'),'Postcard from Gefion');)
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- Named for a Norse goddess (Gefjon), the unprotected cruiser S.M.S. Gefion was built by the Schichau-Werke of Danzig and was commissioned on June 5, 1895. She had a complement of 13 officers and 289 enlisted men.
- She made one trip up the Yangtze, getting as far upriver as Hnakow. Returning to Germany in 1901, she became a barracks ship in WW I Danzig, and was scrapped in 1923.
- The cover was from the Hankow voyage trip, and is dated Apri 27, 1899.
S.M.S. Gefion (M.S.P. 38)
![[image_of_gefion]](javascript:pop_up_image('yang_german/img10.jpg',new Array('Image of Gefion'),'Image of Gefion');)
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- Image of Gefion
S.M.S. Jaguar (M.S.P. 45)
![[postcard_from_jaguar]](javascript:pop_up_image('yang_german/img11.jpg',new Array('Postcard from Jaguar'),'Postcard from Jaguar');)
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- The S.M.S. Jaguar was built on the Schichau-Werke shipyards in Danzig to serve in the German overseas colonies. She was in China from 1900 to 1014m with a complement of 9 officers and 121 wenlisted men.
- She was scuttled on November 7, 1914 following a direct hit to her bow while fighting the Imperial Japanese Navy at the siege of Tsingtao.
- Rhispostcard was mailed on December 2, 1907 from Nanking, China.
S.M.S. Jaguar (M.S.P. 45)
![[image_of_jaguar]](javascript:pop_up_image('yang_german/img12.jpg',new Array('Image of Jaguar'),'Image of Jaguar');)
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- Image of Jaguar
Other Nations' Patrols
- For presentations on other nations' "Yangtsze River" Patrol flotillas, please go to the descriptive page listing all other nations.
For More Information
- For more information on all the navies involved, and several thousands photographic images as well as postcards, contact Randy Pence of Albuequeque, New Mexico.
- The small bites presentations contained herein was developed by former MPHS editor Sergio Lugo, following a request to Pastor Pence in September 2017. It features: postmarks, ship illustrations, postcards and covers of a select few of the ships of these foreign navy flotillas.
Instructions for Presentation:
- Computer: Use your arrow keys to move from one slide to another. See: a How-To webpage with more options. (You can also click on the small arrow images in lower right corner.)
- Phone/Tablet: Swipe left/right on your screen to move from one slide to another.
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Select Image for Table of Contents (in upper left corner) to view Table of Contents.
Acknowledgements:
Created by Serio Lugo from material supplied by Randy Pence
Mini-Presentation updated 2 December, 2017
This online slide presentation created with reveal.js
Table of Contents
Title Page
Seeadler (4 slides)
Vaterland (2 slides)
Bussard (2 slides)
Gefion (2 slides)
Jaguar (2 slides)
Additional Presentations on Patrols
Information About the Author
Instructions for Reading Presentation
Acknowledgements/Notes
Main Presentations Page