[7] The Preußisch Rheinische Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft“ (PRDG) would steam from Cologne to Mainz, and ordered two steamboats.

The English steam engine by John Seaward & Co.[5] had a single low-pressure cylinder of 70 horsepower (52 kW) at 30 revolutions a minute.

The step that is often missed, was that the permit to rename De Rijn to Friedrich Wilhelm allowed PRDG to transfer the name to the first ship she would put into service.

Therefore, De Rijn got her old name back someday between the launch of our Friedrich Wilhelm in April 1826 and her commissioning in May 1827.

In order to generate publicity, the first trip of Friedrich Wilhelm, destined for service north of Mainz, would be about transporting a famous person.

On the morrow she would travel from there to Rotterdam, from whence the sailing yacht Royal Sovereign would take her to her brother the King of England.

Friday at midnight Friedrich Wilhelm continued to Bath, Netherlands, where Charlotte would transfer to the Royal Sovereign, which would bring her to Greenwich.

[14] Friedrich Wilhelm arrived at Bath shortly before 8 AM, and within two hours Charlotte, her escort and goods had been transferred.

Due to bad weather, the Royal Sovereign then had to leave Bath, and anchor before Fort Rammekens.

[15][16] After her maiden voyage Friedrich Wilhelm started to steam according to schedule on the Rhine between Cologne and Mainz.

In the first year, the weight of the machines made the boat loose her original form, and led to leaks at the fireplaces.

In late October the level of Rhine near Caub became so low that Friedrich Wilhelm tried to pass Das wilde Gefähr.

On 10 November shipping was halted, and Friedrich Wilhelm was sent to the safe harbor of Düsseldorf, where she would undergo maintenance.

[17] In 1833 Frances Milton Trollope made a trip to the Rhine, leading to her second book: Belgium and Western Germany in 1833.