SS Batavier II ( 1897 ) SS " Batavier II " was a steam packet for the Batavier Line that sailed between Rotterdam and London for most of her career . The ship was built in 1897 by the Gourlay Brothers of Dundee . The Dutch ship could carry a limited amount of freight and up to 321 passengers . She was rebuilt in 1909 which increased her length by over . During World War I , the Batavier Line attempted to maintain service , but in September 1916 , " Batavier II " was seized as a prize by German submarine and sailed into Zeebrugge and retained . Ten months later , " Batavier II " was shelled by British submarine and sank near Texel . Career . " Batavier II " and her sister ship were built for William Müller and Company by the Gourlay Brothers of Dundee , Scotland . The ship was launched on 17 August 1897 . As built , she was long ( between perpendiculars ) and abeam . " Batavier II " was powered by a single 4 - cylinder , triple - expansion steam engine of that moved her up to . She could carry up to 321 passengers : 44 in first class , 27 in second class , and up to 250 in steerage . She was listed at . Upon completion in October 1897 , she joined the 683 - ton " Batavier I " in packet service between Rotterdam and London . The pair were joined by " Batavier III " after her completion in November . In Rotterdam , the ships docked at the Willemsplein ; in London , the ships originally docked near London Bridge , but in 1899 switched to the Customs House and Wool Quays near the Tower Bridge . Also beginning in 1899 , Batavier Line service between Rotterdam and London was offered daily except Sundays ; each of the ships made three round trips per week . In addition to passengers , " Batavier II " could also carry a limited quantity of freight . One example that may be typical was a load of of dry chemical wood pulp in 5 bales carried to London in March 1907 . In 1909 , " Batavier II " was rebuilt to and lengthened by to . After the outbreak of World War I in August 1914 , the Batavier Line continued service on the Rotterdam – London route . In December 1914 , " Batavier II " made news when porters handling what was identified as a crate of Swedish matches discovered an escaped German Army officer inside . The plan , apparently , was for him to be shipped from London to Rotterdam via " Batavier II " . The plot unraveled when the porters could only move the heavy crate by rolling it , which knocked the man unconscious ; the officer was returned to the custody of British military officials . In June 1915 , passengers on " Batavier II " witnessed an attack by two German airplanes against a British steamship between the Galloper and the North Hinder Lightships . The attack was broken off when two British airplanes arrived over the ship to engage the German aircraft ; none of the airplanes were destroyed , and the ship was unscathed . On 24 September 1916 , after " Batavier II " had departed from Rotterdam , the ship was stopped by the German submarine . She was seized as prize and sailed into German - held Zeebrugge . There , " Batavier II " s Dutch crew and women and children passengers were released and sent via train to Rotterdam . The Germans confiscated the ship ' s cargo of food . Also on board " Batavier II " were four escaped Russian prisoners of war and Richard Hansemann , a German - born New York businessman . American newspapers carried reports of Hansemann ' s plight , reporting by 1 October that he would likely be impressed into the German Army . " Batavier II " s whereabouts and activities over the next ten months are uncertain . She remained under German control for a time , but how long is not clear from sources . " Batavier II " was back under Dutch control by late July 1917 . On 27 July 1917 , " Batavier II " was shelled by British submarine just outside of Dutch territorial waters . Damaged by " E55 " s gunfire , " Batavier II " s crew steered her back into Dutch territorial waters . " E55 " then sent a prize crew on board " Batavier II " and sailed her back outside Dutch waters . By the time a Dutch torpedo boat arrived on the scene , " Batavier II " was taking on water and had drifted back into Dutch territory . The torpedo boat sent the message " respect neutrality " to " E55 " which retrieved her prize crew and departed . Despite efforts to stem the flow of water , " Batavier II " sank from the Molengat North Buoy , off Texel .