Their crew initially consisted of 117 officers and enlisted men and then later increased to 159.

The engines were designed to produce a total of 2,000 indicated horsepower (1,500 kW) and give the ships a speed of 12.4 knots (23.0 km/h; 14.3 mph).

[2] The Buffels carried a maximum of 150 long tons (152 t) of coal and had two pole masts.

[2] The Dutch bought a license for the design of Buffel from Napier and built one sister ship in their own dockyard in Amsterdam.

The ships had uneventful careers since the Netherlands was at peace during their active periods.