In September 1843 Penelope joined a royal squadron near Walmer Castle in Kent.
It had the royal yacht HMY Victoria and Albert (1843), with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on board and several other steam vessels including HMS Cyclops.
The royal yacht brought the queen to Ostend on 13 September.
The squadron continued and arrived in Vlissingen on 14 September, and then in Antwerp on the 15th.
After visiting Brugge, Gent and Brussel, Victoria visited Antwerp, where she embarked on her yacht and left on 20 September.
While Penelope was in Antwerp she was visited by the Dutch Lieutenant Willem Huyssen van Kattendijke, an ADC to the director of the Dutch navy.
He spoke to several officers of Penelope, and wrote an article about her.
After first citing an article in the Annales Maritimes, he noted that the depth of Penelope was 21.5 feet (6.6 m) before Antwerp, that she made 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) in good circumstances, but only 7–8 knots (13–15 km/h; 8.1–9.2 mph) in bad weather.
Also that the weight of the machinery and coal, together 1,035 tons, was not in line with the displacement allowed by the added mid-section.
He also claimed that her officers did not agree with the idea that she could transport a 1,000 soldiers to the Cape.
Van Kattendijke concluded that it was clear that the experiment had not been as successful as had been hoped, but applauded the daring of the designers.
In September 1843 Penelope joined a royal squadron near Walmer Castle in Kent. It had the royal yacht HMY Victoria and Albert (1843), with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on board and several other steam vessels including HMS Cyclops. The royal yacht brought the queen to Ostend on 13 September. The squadron continued and arrived in Vlissingen on 14 September, and then in Antwerp on the 15th. After visiting Brugge, Gent and Brussel, Victoria visited Antwerp, where she embarked on her yacht and left on 20 September. While Penelope was in Antwerp she was visited by the Dutch Lieutenant Willem Huyssen van Kattendijke, an ADC to the director of the Dutch navy. He spoke to several officers of Penelope, and wrote an article about her. After first citing an article in the Annales Maritimes, he noted that the depth of Penelope was 21.5 feet (6.6 m) before Antwerp, that she made 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) in good circumstances, but only 7–8 knots (13–15 km/h; 8.1–9.2 mph) in bad weather. Also that the weight of the machinery and coal, together 1,035 tons, was not in line with the displacement allowed by the added mid-section. He also claimed that her officers did not agree with the idea that she could transport a 1,000 soldiers to the Cape. Van Kattendijke concluded that it was clear that the experiment had not been as successful as had been hoped, but applauded the daring of the designers.
HMS Penelope (1829)