Kresse’s  record of Hamburg ships to 1914

(Updated 22 November 2004.)

 

 

Two publications covering Hamburg ships up to 1914 available in the NZ national Maritime Museum library are a valuable resource for international as well as German maritime historians.

 

They are:

 

Seeschiffs-Verzeichnis der Hamburger Reedereein 1824-1888, Walter Kresse, Museum fur Hamburgische Geschichte, Hamburg, 1969 (in three parts)

 

Hamburger Seeschiffe 1889-1914, Walter Kresse, Museum fur Hamburgische Geschichte, Hamburg, 1974,

 

Many British and American sailing ships came under the German flag and you’ll find information in these publications about the later careers of many of them that you may well not find in Lubbock or other accounts based solely on English-language sources. The volumes covering the period to 1889 even include cryptic information about voyages at about the same level of detail found in Lloyd’s Register up to the early 1870’s.

 

Copies of Kresse’s publications are available in the library of the NZ National Maritime Museum, Auckland. They are undoubtedly underutilised because the text is entirely in German but the tabulated material about the individual ships is fairly readily interpreted.

 

The notes below should provide most of what you need to use these books fairly reliably. Although I haven’t been able to have the whole explanatory section translated I don’t think I have missed anything critical, but be alert and if in any doubt get additional help. It helps to find a ship that is also listed in Lloyd’s Register and compare the information in each publication. There is a useful translation section in the Lloyd’s Universal Register for 1888 which NZNMM also holds. If you can access a copy of Germanischer Lloyd for a suitable year this is helpful as it is trilingual.

 

Paasch’s trilingual 19th century maritime dictionary is also worth noting. This was published in 1885 as From Keel to Truck and republished in facsimile in 1997 as Paasch’s Illustrated Marine Dictionary. In English, French and German, by Conway Maritime Press, London. NZNMM holds a later edition. The facsimile edition is available in Auckland’s Blockhouse Bay suburban library.

 

When I can fit in the time I’ll compile a basic index of former British and American ships that come within the scope of these volumes. (If someone else cares to work on that in the meantime I’ll sort out the British and US official numbers to facilitate linking the information to sources in the other countries of registration.)

 

As far as I can judge, the coverage is ships registered (possibly merely owned) in Hamburg in the period to 1914. Companies outside Hamburg are included. You’ll even find some ships included that were built in New Zealand or Australia and owned by German ship-owners operating in the Pacific which probably never went anywhere near Germany. Four such owners are: (I haven’t fully searched for them yet so there may be others.)

 

Die Neu Guinea Compagnie, Berlin, which owned five ships built in Australia; refer 1889-1914 volume p. 208

 

AG. Jaluit-Gesellschaft, Hamburg, which owned the Auckland schooner Futuna, an Australian schooner and several Californian schooners; refer pp 158-160 in 1889-1914 volume

 

AG Deutsche Handels- u.Plantagen-Gesellschaft der Südsee-Inseln, Hamburg, which owned five NZ ships and three Australian ships; refer p. 56 in 1889-1914 volume.

 

Friedrich Albert Kirsten of Levuka (Fiji) is recorded as owning the 36 ton schooner Louisianna built in Auckland in 1877 and given German certification on 22.10.77 for which I can find no NZ certification or any record in Cliff Hawkins’ list of ships built in Auckland so it appears that she was built in NZ to go straight under German registration. (1824-1888, Vol. 1 p 276).

 

To put the volumes in context, Hamburg sailing ships constituted just 11% of the German total in 1885 but the tonnage doubled by 1905 to a level that was more or less maintained through to WWI. The total tonnage of German sailing ships fell substantially over the period so that by the outbreak of WWI, Hamburg sailing ships constituted almost half the German total. Over the same period, Hamburg steam ships increased from 36% to 51% of the German total. Hamburg sailing and steam ships combined represented 18% of the tonnage of all German ships in 1885 and half in 1912. (All calculations based on net tonnages. Source: Report of the Commissioner of Navigation, Washington 1912, p 133.)

 

By comparison, Bremen’s share of the total German tonnage was about the same as Hamburg’s in 1885 but fell to 27% in 1912. Bremen’s tonnage of sailing ships exceeded Hamburg’s until the mid 1890’s but by 1912 Bremen’s sailing ships had shrunk to little more than half Hamburg’s tonnage. Prussia’s fleet exceeded the Hamburg and Bremen fleets in the 1880’s but by 1912 represented less than 10% of the German total (same source.) It is likely that Hamburg ships constituted a disproportionate share of German ships involved in the long-distance trades particularly in the later part of the period, so it is unlikely that they would be indicative of German ships registered at the Baltic ports. Bremen and Hamburg were the main German ports with direct access to the North Sea in the period to 1914.

 

Another German language book covers sailing ships built in Bremen. Volume 2 is now held by the Hocken Library, Dunedin (refer New Zealand Marine News, 52 (4), p 180). It is a different type of publication from Kresse’s documentation of Hamburg ships with many illustrations, maps and plans. It lists many Bremen ships by name but may not be as comprehensive as Kresse’s book. Certainly the scope is ships built at Bremen as distinct from owned or registered there. The reference is Peter-Michael Pawlik, Von der Weser in die Welt; Die Geschichte der Segelschiffe von Weser und Lesum und ihrer Bauwerften 1770 bis 1893, Schriften des Deutschen Schiffahrtsmuseums, Bd. 33 (Hamburg: Kabel, c1993).

 

 

 

Worked examples and basic translations

 

The index and code to the volumes covering 1824 to 1888 is contained in Teil (Part) 3, pages V to XIII. If you can, you should read these or have them translated. There is a detailed and self explanatory fold-out table of port names that needs little if any translation. For those who can’t get a full translation of the introduction probably most of what you require will be covered by the following notes and tables which also add some further information and explanations that may be useful in any case.

 

A fairly representative example is for the Napier, built by Pile, Spence and Co at West Hartlepool (UK) in 1863.

 

The left hand side of its entry reads:

 

“Victoria” Bk 556NRT             [name   type      tonnage]

ex “La France” (frz.)                 [former name and nationality (French)]

ex “Napier” (brit.)                     [former name and nationality (British)]

52,70 x 8,39 x 5,39 m              [dimensions in metres: length x beam x depth]    ( , = decimal point)

1863 Hpl (Pile)                         [year built         place built         (builder)]          (Hpl = Hartlepool)

 

 

BRT indicates gross tonnage (B = Brutto = Gross)

NRT indicates net tonnage (N = Netto = Net)

RT   indicates British tons register

 

In some entries the row relating to dimensions may be preceded by S meaning …….? or zS meaning  …….?

(Translations follow of references to nationality and type of ship. A note on tonnage measurements also follows.)

 

 

The right hand side of the Napier’s entry reads:

 

gkft. 24.12.87                          [gkft. = gekauft = purchased     date]

Kpt: A. Frantz 88/..                  [Captain and year/s of command]

R: 88/89 Rgn/Z…                     [voyage            years    From/To]  (Rgn=Rangun; Z= Zwishenhafen*)

verloren  1891 (PRic)               [lost/wrecked   year      (place)]            (PRic = Puerto Rico)

 

*  I understand Zwishenhafen to refer to an intermediate port, that is, one distant from the point of origin at which a ship calls for orders concerning its final destination. This was a common practice with ships that lacked radio as was the case with most ships before 1914 and all but a few merchant sailing ships ever. It was often necessary because the ownership of some cargoes could change several times during a passage of four months or more to Europe – sailing ships in particular constituted floating warehouses as much as a means of transport. A sailing ship would therefore call at some convenient port where it did not require expensive berthage or a tug in order to obtain further instructions. Common intermediate destinations were Falmouth or Queenstown (Cork) “for orders”, both of which were strategically located for proceeding to many British Isles and European destinations which were generally to leeward.  I haven’t found the name Zwischenhafen as a specific port in any of several gazetteers. However, it may have some additional or alternative German application unknown to me so be alert to the possibility and please contact me if you know of any.

 

 

Alternatively to gkft., the first line of the right hand side may commence

 

            Bielbr.              = Beilbrief        = certificate confirming completion of ship

            übern.               = übernomen    = taken possession of

 

Alternatively to verloren, the last entry of the right hand side may commence

 

            Bürgerrecht aufgegeben = “civil rights” given up; evidently “de-registered” (NB: subject to verification)

            gestrandet         = stranded, beached, shipwrecked

            gesunken          = sank

übertr.              = übertragen   = transferred

verbrannt          = burnt

vershollen         = missing

vkft.                 = vekauft = sold

 

Acknowledgment: I express my appreciation to Andreas van Mach, Arno Gropp, John Guard and Lars Bruzelius for helpful comment about the above translations.

 

Certif. and Condemn. are also found in the listings, both of which are actually foreign to German and have obvious English meanings.

 

 

Interpreting the 1889-1914 publication

 

Kresse’s single volume covering the period since 1888 provides essentially the same information (with the exception of the voyage information) in basically the same order but a different format.

 

An example commences:

 

ALSTERBERG (RMNG) s4MBk  97,70 x 14,33 x 8,28  3239BRT – 1902 Dumbarton (McMillan)

 

= name, (signal code), steel 4 masted barque, dimensions in metres, gross tonnage, year and place of build (builder)

 

s, e or h before the rig  indicates hull material

s = stahl (steel), e = eisen (iron), h = holz (wooden)

 

 

The remainder of the entry indicates German registration, ownership, captains and fate.

 

 

Ship type codes

 

BEw     Besanewer                   * 2-masted Ewer, essentially ketch (besan = mizzen)

Bg        Brigg                            Brig

Bk        Bark                             Bark/Barque

D         Dampfschiff                  steam ship

3MSr   Dreimastschoner           three-masted schooner

Ew       Ewer                            * flat bottomed coaster

EwKn  Ewer-Kahn                  * refer Ewer and Kahn

EwSl    Ewer-Sloop                  * sloop rigged Ewer

GkEw  Giek-Ewer                   * cutter-rigged Ewer (Giek alone = gig, wherry, skiff)

Gs        Galjass                         * Galeas/Galeass generally ketch-rigged

GsEw   Galjass-Ewer                * refer Galjass and Ewer

GSr      Gaffel-Schoner             * gaff-schooner

Gt        Galjot                           * Galiot; barge-like sailing trader

Jt          Jacht                            * fast cutter-rigged coaster; jacht also = yacht

Kf        Kuff                             * Koff; two-masted square-hulled coaster

Kn       Kahn, Weserkahn         * range of meanings including barge and lighter

Kt        Kutter                          Cutter

L          Leichter                        lighter

RD       Räder-Dampfschiff       paddle steamer

Sb        Schonerbrigg                Brigantine [NB: Brigantine is also translated in others ways such as Schooner-Brigg]

Sf         Schiff = Vollschiff         full-rigged ship

Sl         Sloop                           Sloop

Sm       Schmack                      smack

Sr         Schoner                        Schooner [NB: also found elsewhere translated into German with two o’s]

SrBk    Schoner-Bark               Barkentine/Barquentine [NB: also found elsewhere as Schoonerbark]

SrEw    Schoner-Ewer              * schooner-rigged Ewer

SrGs    Schoner-Galjass           * schooner-rigged Galeas

SrGt     Schoner-Galjot             * schooner-rigged Galiot

SrKf     Schoner-Kuff               * schooner-rigged Kuff

Tj         Tjalk                            Tjalk; narrow coaster

4MBk  Viermastbark                4-masted bark/barque

4MSf   Viermastschiff               4-masted ship

4MV    Viermastvollschiff          4-masted full-rigged ship

V         Vollschiff                      full rigged ship

 

 

Ship type codes specific to the 1889-1914 publication

 

gdSchute          gedeckte Schute           covered Schute = large capacity lighter/barge

MS                  Motorschiff                   motor ship

SchlD               Schleppdampfer           steam towing vessel

SSch                Segelschute                  sailing Schute (large capacity lighter/barge)

Sn                    Snigge                          * one or two-masted coaster

TD                   Turbinendampfer          turbine steamer

Y                     Yawl                            Yawl

2Schr               Doppelschrauben-        double propeller / twin screw

3M                   Dreimast                       three-masted

IVExp              Vierfach-Expansions-Dampfmaschine  vierfach = fourfold; dampfmaschine = steam engine

 

 

* Type defined by hull form as well as rig.  Refer to detailed references such as:

http://home.iprimus.com.au/mflapan/MiddendorfWebpage5.htm  (a partial translation of Middendorf’s Masting and Rigging of Ships, 1903) and Aak to Zumbra. A Dictionary of the World’s Watercraft, The Mariner’s Museum, Newport News, 2000.

 

 

Codes for Nationality/Flag

 

amer.                United States of America

arg.                  Argentina

belg.                 Belgium

bras.                 Brazil

brem.               Bremen

brit.                  Great Britain

chil.                  Chile

chin.                 Chinese

col.                   Columbian

cost.                 Costa Rica

dän                   Denmark

dtsch.               German

frz                    France

guat.                 Guatemala

hait.                  Haiti

hamb.               Hamburg

hann.                Kingdom of Hanover (annexed by Prussia in 1866)

hawai.              Hawaii (annexed by USA in 1898. Hawaiian ships remained on a separate register until 1902.)

holst.                Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein. (Denmark renounced its claim in 1864 and Holstein and Schleswig passed to temporary administration by Austria and Prussia respectively. Prussia took full control of both in 1866.)

hond.                Honduras

ital.                   Italy (formed into a confederation under the presidency of the Pope in 1859)

jap.                  Japan

Kniph.              Lordship of Kniphausen (annexed in 1855 to the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg)

korean.             Korea

lüb.                   Lubeck

malai.               Malayan

meckl.              Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

neapolit.           Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (included much of southern Italy based on Naples as well as the island of Sicily.)

niederl.             Netherlands

norw.               Norway

österr.              = Kaiserreich  Österreich-Ungarn = the Austro-Hungarian Empire

oldenb.             Grand Duchy of Oldenburg

peruan.             Peru

port.                 Portugal

preuss.             Kingdom of Prussia*

russ.                 Russian Empire (included Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania)

sardin.              Kingdom of Sardinia (kingship merged in the restored Kingdom of Italy in1860)

schwed.            Sweden

span.                Spain

türk.                 Turkey

urug.                 Uruguay

venezol.            Venezuela

 

refer pages VIII, IX and 93 of Teil 3 for 1824-1888 for these names in German.

 

Note: The German Empire (dissolved in 1806) was reconstituted in 1871 with the King of Prussia as German Emperor (Kaiser).

 

Other geographical names:

 

Südsee-Inseln   South Sea Islands

Wellingdorf       Wellington

 

 

 

Tonnage and “Commerce lasts”

 

The size of many of the ships is expressed in “commerce lasts” (abbreviated to C.L.) Lasts are the North European equivalent of tonnage replaced by the international adoption of the British tonnage measurement system in the 1870’s although the term survived in informal and local usage.

 

Like tuns, tons and tonnage, commerce lasts evidently have a long and venerable history of their own that I haven’t yet found comprehensively documented in English. Lasts are the measurement used in the 18th century writings of the pioneering naval architect Fredrik af Chapman. However, a number of English-language maritime dictionaries I have consulted refer only to a vestigial usage of the word in the English fishing industry.

 

Lasts vary in their meaning through time and geographically, as do tons.

 

Information kindly provided by Martin Käser indicates that, originally, a Last was the amount of grain four horses could move.
When ships were classified by the number of Lasts they could move a ship of, say, 80 Lasts had to offer the volume as well as the weight carrying capability for those 80 grain Lasts. As long as the same kind of cargo was used, measurement could be done either way, by weight or by volume. A Herring-Last was not equal to a Grain-Last or a Salz-Last (salt). The Last differed not only in respect of the cargo. There were local variations as well: Pommersche Last, Ostseelast, Berliner Last.

 

In later use, the Normallast and Commerzlast, were defined as weights; the Normallast of 4000 pounds and the Commerzlast of 6000 pounds. The average conversion factor of  2.18 tons to the Commerce Last allows a minimum density of the cargo of 0.45 kg/litre. However, the density of grain is about 0.75 kg/litre. (Martin Käser.)

 

If you are an English-speaker using Kresse to follow-up the later histories of ships that started life under the British or American flags you should have ready access to original measurements that you can compare. If you are using Kresse as a source to compare older German ships that remained within the Northern European regional orbit you will need to probe deeper into German language documentation. There is a more complex mix (or varying sources) of measurements for the earlier German ships; refer table (page X of Volume 3) of conversions to metric units for Bremen, Danish, English, Hamburg, Hanoverian, Oldenburg, Prussian and Swedish fuss (feet), ranging from 286 to 314 mm to the foot. 

 

 

Commerce Lasts in Kresse

 

Quite a few entries in Kresse for the 1824-1888 period give the ship’s size in both lasts and in tons. The ratio of lasts to tons varies considerably from ship to ship. Only average conversion factors are possible.

There is extended discussion on pages VII and VIII of Volume 3 of Kresse’s 1824-1888 book.

 

The following paragraphs are adapted from a translation from these pages kindly provided by Martin Käser.

 

Comments in [  ] are my own.

 

[Translation commences.] The size of the ships is given in Commerce Lasts (Commerzlasten) abbreviated to CL until 1874. From 1875 the size is given in gross tons (Bruttoregistertonnen) abbreviated to BRT, or net tons (Nettoregistertonnen)  abbreviated to NRT [as recently adopted internationally to establish the British ton of 100 cubic feet as the international standard]. BRT were chosen for steamers and NRT for sailing ships. The Hamburg CL at 6000 pounds is a measure of weight and the Register ton (Registertonne) at 2.83 cubic metres is a measure of volume. [Gross, Net and Register tons are all of 100 cubic feet per ton = 2.83 cubic metres. For practical purposes, Register tons = Net tons though not officially designated as such.]

 

[Note that the B in BRT represents Gross tons not British - the German Brutto means Gross.]


As CL and RT are measures of a different nature, there cannot be a [universal] coefficient for conversion. For statistical purposes, an average was computed. For sailing ships it turned out that 2.18 NRT (net tons) correspond to one Commerce Last. This however applies only to the aggregate of the ships; with single sailing ship’s coefficients [ranging] from 1.88 to 2.43. With steam ships built in 1860 to 1874, which were originally measured in CL and ca 1875 re-measured in RT, the average was 2.18 NRT for one CL, too with single results between 1.84 and 2.64. With steamers it is wrong to relate CL and BRT, as the CL is a net measurement [ie of carrying capacity].


If - in some cases - neither CL nor BRT/NRT could be found, French tons(t), British register tons (RT) and with the very first steamers Brutto- or Netto-Tonnen - t(br), t(n) - of an as yet unknown size were used instead. [Translation concludes.]

 

Varying conversion factors have been used elsewhere depending on the nation and period. For example, International Historical Statistics. Europe 1750-1993 (4th Edition, B. R. Mitchell, Macmillan Reference Ltd and Stockton Press, 1998, footnote 7 page 729) indicates 5 lasts to “approximately 9 net tons” (1.8 tons to the last) as the relevant conversion factor for 19th century Finnish statistics, at least to 1868.

 

I have also seen reference to a conversion factor of 2.08 Norwegian Commerce Lasts (Kommerselester) to the ton [of 100 cubic feet or 2.83 cubic metres] The source is  http://www.norwayheritage.com/articles/templates/ships.asp?articleid=22&zoneid=5 )

 

I would welcome additional information about using lasts to indicate ship size in the 19th century in any country.

 

 

 

 

Please send further corrections and additions to j_lowe@ihug.co.nz                                          

 

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