Gerhard Christiaan Coenraad (Gerrit) Pels Rijcken | |
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 Captain Pels Rijcken in 1860 | |
| Born | (1810-01-10)10 January 1810 |
| Died | 2 May 1889(1889-05-02) (aged 79) Breda, Netherlands |
| Allegiance |  Netherlands |
| Branch |  Royal Netherlands Navy |
| Years of service | 1826–1868 |
| Rank | Vice Admiral |
| Other work | Minister of the Navy |
Gerhard Christiaan Coenraad (Gerrit) Pels Rijcken (10 January 1810 – 2 May 1889) was a career officer of theRoyal Dutch Navy and a politician. As an officer, Pels Rijcken reached the rank of Vice-Admiral. He was Dutch Navy Minister from 1866 to 1868.
Pels Rijcken was born inPrincenhage,Netherlands, where his father was sheriff as well as analderman of nearbyBreda. His brother later became mayor ofArnhem (1874-1844). He entered theRoyal Dutch Navy, becoming amidshipman in 1826, and rose through the ranks by serving on several vessels. He became a lieutenant, 2nd class in April 1831 and was promoted to lieutenant, 1st class in December 1845. He served as a training officer at the KIM (Royal Naval Institute) inMedemblik from 1847.
From 1855 to 1857, Pels Rijcken was assigned as commandant of theNagasaki Naval Training Center, teaching the principles of a modern naval science (navigation, cannonry, ship-handling) tosamurai includingKatsu Kaishu. He arrived as captain of theGedeh which accompanied the steam warship, the ZM SSSoembing, a gift from KingWilliam III of the Netherlands toShōgunTokugawa Iesada.[1] Under the name ofKankō Maru,Soembing was used at the Nagasaki Naval Training Center as a training vessel. While in Japan, he was promoted to commander in May 1856. He was succeeded in this post byWillem Huyssen van Kattendijke from 1857 and returned to the Netherlands.
Pels Rijcken was promoted to captain in February 1861. On 1 June 1862 he was captain of the steamshipArdjoeno. From 1863 to 1864 he commanded the frigateZeeland. He then was appointed as anadjutant to King William III, a post which he held until his death.
After his promotion to rear admiral and assignment as commandant of the naval base atWillemsoord from 1 July 1865 to 1 June 1866, Pels Rijcken was named Minister of the Navy in the cabinet ofPrime MinisterJulius van Zuylen van Nijevelt from 1 June 1866 to 4 June 1868. He was promoted to vice admiral on his retirement from active service on 1 August 1868.
After retirement, he ran unsuccessfully for public office in Amsterdam, but was defeated in the elections of 1869. He was also a candidate for Minister of the Navy in 1874, but was rejected for showing symptoms ofsenility during his interviews. He died inBreda in 1889.
– Commander of theOrder of the Netherlands Lion, August 15, 1867
– Grand CrossOrder of the Oak Crown, June 2, 1868Foreign Military Missions to Japan | |||||||||||
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