Military Museum Blog: HNLMS Buffel, Rotterdam

The 1860s were a time of fervent in naval technology. The first ironclad warships appeared in the the late 1850s and were initially based on their wooden walled, broadside gun predecessors. However, weight and structural limitations meant that broadside ironclads could not mount their guns across tiered decks, the manner of the first-rate triple decker broadside man-of-war. The only way to match that firepower was by extending the ironclad's length. This was easier to do in steel (wooden ships by contrast were limited in their effective length), but extending the ship's length made them unwieldy and difficult to maneuver. By the time the HMS Agincourt was launched in 1861, it was clear that the broadside ironclad had reached its practical limits. Designers then turned towards mounting fewer, but more powerful guns in a smaller ship that was more heavily armored.

This naval arms race was enormously expensive and pretty much meant that the smaller countries and navies could not compete with the major powers. However, a new invention of the 1860s offered smaller navies the opportunity to field big guns in relatively small ships - the turret. Developed independently in the US by John Erikson and Great Britain by Cowper Coles, the turret allowed for one or two big guns to be mounted in an armored, rotating casemate.

The Buffel (Buffalo) was one of the first generation of turret ships. It was built in Britain for the Dutch navy in 1868.

The Buffel museum ship is located in the old Dutch naval port of Hellevoetsluis, just outside Rotterdam.

The Hellevoetsluis maritime museum contains the Bernisse, a Second World War era mine sweeper.

The Noord Hinder lighthouse ship.

And of course, the Buffel. In styling, the ship has many features of the earlier wooden era, such as the gilding around the captain's cabin windows.

Inside the mess. The ship is quite roomy inside.

The head

Junior officers berth.

Senior officers berth.

Officers wardroom

Like so many pioneering ships of this period, the Buffel was quickly obsolete and placed in reserve. After a period as a training ship, in 1896 the ship was converted into an accommodation ship, a role she performed until she was decommissioned in 1972.

The Buffel as she was originally built. Although built as a coastal defence ship, the Buffel received a fairly high freeboard for what was officially a monitor ship. Monitors were traditionally low freeboard and without much in the way of superstructure to obstruct the fields of fire. The ship only undertook one international voyage, between her construction site in Scotland and her home port of Rotterdam.

The steam engine has been restored.

The Coles turret mounted two 11 inch Armstrong breech loading guns. The turret was removed after the ship was converted into an accommodation ship and scrapped. For many years the ship was displayed without the turret until a replica was mounted

The wheel

For those interested in naval history, the Buffel is one of the rare survivors of the ironclad period. The museum is well worth the visit. Any contribution to the upkeep of the ship is welcome. Check out the website for opening hours and entry fees https://debuffel.nl/
Address: Koningskade 2, 3221 CC Hellevoetsluis, Netherlands

This satellite photo highlight's Hellevoetsluis' history as a naval fortification. The bastions of the star fort layout are quiet distinctive. The Buffel is clearly visible at the end of the canal.

More information is available here: https://www.museumships.us/netherlands/buffel