, ▁the ▁Dan es ▁instit uted ▁a ▁block ade , ▁stopping ▁ ▁all ▁German ▁trade ▁in ▁the ▁North ▁Sea ▁and ▁the ▁Balt ic ▁Sea . ▁This ▁prompt ed ▁the ▁German ▁parliament ▁at ▁Frankfurt ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁new ▁all - G erman ▁n avy . ▁The ▁Germ ans ▁had ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁fleet ▁from ▁scratch , ▁bu ying ▁ships ▁abroad ▁and ▁converting ▁them , ▁and ▁h iring ▁foreign ▁officers ▁( B rit ish , ▁Belg ian ) ▁to ▁lead ▁native ▁veter an ▁merchant ▁mar in ers . ▁ ▁After ▁about ▁a ▁year ▁of ▁prepar ation , ▁on ▁ 4 ▁June , ▁German ▁Admir al ▁Karl ▁Rudolf ▁B rom my ▁left ▁Bre mer h aven ▁with ▁the ▁steam ▁fr ig ate ▁S MS ▁Bar bar ossa ▁( former ly ▁R MS ▁Britann ia ) ▁and ▁the ▁smaller ▁steam ▁cor v ettes ▁Lü beck ▁( 1 8 4 4 ) ▁and ▁Hamburg ▁( 1 8 4 1 ) ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁dis per se ▁the ▁Dan ish ▁ships ▁which ▁were ▁guard ing ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁Wes er ▁River . ▁The ▁Dan ish ▁forces ▁present ▁that ▁day ▁were ▁inferior ▁and ▁retre ated , ▁but ▁B rom my ▁managed ▁to ▁cut ▁off ▁the ▁sail ing ▁cor v ette ▁V alk y rien ▁which ▁under ▁captain ▁Andreas ▁Pol der ▁sought ▁refuge ▁near ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Hel ig ol and ▁which ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁belonged ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁The ▁British , ▁while ▁being ▁neutral , ▁had ▁made ▁clear ▁before hand ▁that ▁a ▁German ▁Navy ▁was ▁not ▁welcome ▁and