The shogunate expressed to Curtius in [[1853]] interest in constructing a modern Japanese navy. Curtius corresponded with the Netherlands, and the ''Soembing'' arrived at Nagasaki the following summer captained by [[Gerhardus Fabius]]. There, its crew engaged in some limited training exercises. In July 1855, the ''Soembing'' returned to Nagasaki along with a ship called the ''[[Gedeh]]''. Curtius announced that he had been ordered by King Willem III to present the ''Soembing'' as a gift to the shogunate. along with a portrait of the king, and to have its crew train some number of Japanese sailors more extensively in the operation of the vessel.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 2 (1937), 78.</ref> The ship was formally handed over to Nagasaki-based shogunate officials on 1855/8/25.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 2 (1937), 109.</ref> | The shogunate expressed to Curtius in [[1853]] interest in constructing a modern Japanese navy. Curtius corresponded with the Netherlands, and the ''Soembing'' arrived at Nagasaki the following summer captained by [[Gerhardus Fabius]]. There, its crew engaged in some limited training exercises. In July 1855, the ''Soembing'' returned to Nagasaki along with a ship called the ''[[Gedeh]]''. Curtius announced that he had been ordered by King Willem III to present the ''Soembing'' as a gift to the shogunate. along with a portrait of the king, and to have its crew train some number of Japanese sailors more extensively in the operation of the vessel.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 2 (1937), 78.</ref> The ship was formally handed over to Nagasaki-based shogunate officials on 1855/8/25.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 2 (1937), 109.</ref> |