THE YANGTZE RIVER PATROL - Imperial German Navy

by Randy Pence

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S.M.S. Seeadler (M.S.P. 11)

Postcard from Seeadler (Click on image to see larger version.)

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 (Click on image to see larger version.)

S.M.S. Seeadler (M.S.P. 11)

Postcard from Seeadler (Click on image to see larger version.)

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 (Click on image to see larger version.)

Image of Seeadler

S.M.S. Vaterland (M.S.P. 10)

Postcard from Vaterland (Click on image to see larger version.)

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 (Click on image to see larger version.)

Image of Vaterland

S.M.S. Bussard (M.S.P. 51)

Cover from Bussard (Click on image to see larger version.)

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 (Click on image to see larger version.)

Image of Bussard

S.M.S. Gefion (M.S.P. 38)

Postcard from Gefion (Click on image to see larger version.)

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 (Click on image to see larger version.)

Image of Gefion

S.M.S. Jaguar (M.S.P. 45)

Postcard from Jaguar (Click on image to see larger version.)

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 (Click on image to see larger version.)

Image of Jaguar

S. M. S. Furst Bismark (M.S.P. 43)

Postcard from Furst Bismark (Click on image to see larger version.)

The Furst Bismarck was an armored cruiser built by the Keiserliche Werft in Kiel Germany. She was commissioned on April 1, 1900, and assigned to the German East Asia Station. She was scrapped in 1919.
This cover (with enclosed letter) was written on April 15, 1905 whuile she was in Nanking, China.

S. M. S. Furst Bismark (M.S.P. 43)

Image of Furst Bismark (Click on image to see larger version.)

Other Nation's 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.

Acknowledgements

Created by Serio Lugo from material supplied by Randy Pence

Mini-Presentation updated 10 March 2020

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Title Page
S.M.S. Seeadler
S.M.S. Vaterland
S.M.S. Bussard
S.M.S. Gefion
S.M.S. Jaguar
S. M. S. Furst Bismark
Other Nation's Patrols
For More Information
Acknowledgements
Instructions for Reading Presentation

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