The De Ruyter was a Dutch sailing frigate of the 19th century . She entered service with the Royal Navy in 1853 and was the fourth ship to be named after Admiral Michiel de Ruyter . She made various trips in Europe and East Asia. It ended its career after several conversions and equipping it with armor as a floating gun battery .
history
De Ruyter's keel was laid in 1831 at the Reichswerft in Vlissingen . The construction was delayed several times and several modifications were made. The ship of the line , armed with 74 guns , was converted into a frigate equipped with 54 guns in 1850 and put into service in 1853. Travel to the Mediterranean, the Dutch East Indies and East Asia followed . The De Ruyter was temporarily decommissioned in 1859 for a thorough overhaul and extensive renovations. With only 45 cannons left, it resumed service in 1860. Between 1862 and 1865 the ship was armored with iron and equipped with 14 16-pound cannons. As a mobile gun battery, the De Ruyter was in service at the mouth of the Scheldt until 1870 , when it was retired and demolished in 1874.
