The strength of the Portuguese navy around 24 July 1833 according to admiral Charles Napier

Napier gave a list of the Portuguese navy which can be dated around 24 July 1833; with additions from later date. Although without giving much information, the list is still of value and giving an astonish impression of the condition of the navy. In 1832 broke a Civil war in Portugal out with at one side the former Brazilian emperor Pedro I and his daughter Maria II da Gloria and on the other side Pedro's brother Michael. Pedro I became in 1826 king of Portugal as Pedro IV but gave instead his thrown to his daughter. After 1831 he abdicated as emperor of Brazil and went to Portugal to assist his daughter. After she was lost her thrown to Michael, in 1834 she became queen of Portugal again. In the same year her father died.

Don John, 74 guns, extra guns were removed (1)

Cape St. Vincent, 74 guns, sheer hulk, extra guns were removed (2)

Duchess of Braganza, 50 guns (3)

Don Pedro, 50 guns (4)

Rainha, 42 guns (5)

Donna Maria 42 guns (6)

Fifth of July, 50 guns (7)

Eliza, 26 guns, corvette (8)

Isabel Maria, 24 guns, corvette (9)

Cacella, 20 guns, corvette, since sold (10)

Portuense, 20 guns, corvette, since sold (11)

Audaz, 18 guns, brig (12)

Providenza, 16 guns, brig, since sold (13)

Villa Flor, 18 guns (14)

Third of July, 10 guns, brig, since sold (15)

Liberal, 8 guns, schooner (16)

Faro, 5 guns, schooner (17)

Prince Don Pedro, 20 guns, brought from Brest (18)

schooner 10 guns, brought from Brest

St. John Magnanimo, 30 guns, East Indiaman (19)

Anonymous, 30 guns, East Indiaman

Eight of July, 24 guns, corvette (20)

On stocks a 50-gun ship

4 store ships

the Queens' yacht and another Queens' yacht building

At Brest, one good frigate, one corvette and 3 bad frigates, all lying there rotting

Sources

Admiral Charles Napier. An account of the war in Portugal between Don Pedro and Don Miguel, London, 1836, p. 361-362.

http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_I_van_Brazili

www.3decks.pbworks.com

Antonio Marques Esparteiro. Catálogo dos navios e brigantines (1640-1910). Lisbon, 1976.

Notes

1. Dom Joao VI, also called Nossa Senhora dos Martires and Sao Joa Principe Regente, launched at Lisbon 24 August 1816, broken up 1852.

2. Rainha de Portugal, launched at Lisbon 28 September 1791, after 1833 called Cabo de Sao Vicente, broken up 1848.

3. Princesa Real, launched at Lisbon 13 May 1819, also known as Constituicao, after 1833 named Duquesa de Braganca, 50-guns frigate, sold as useless 1854.

4. Former British merchant ship of 800 tons, purchased in England in 1831, fitted out as 46-gun frigate, 1854 useless.

5. Rainha de Portugal, former British merchant ship of 800 tons, purchased in England in 1831, fitted out as 46-gun frigate, sold at Lisbon as useless 1854.

6. Donna Maria II, former British merchant ship of 900 tons, purchased in England in 1831, fitted out as 44-gun frigate, exploded due to powder off Macau 1850.

7. The Cinco de Julho, first charrua Maio en Cardoso, later frigate Martim de Freitas, renamed 1833, 1835 again charrua Maio e Cardoso.

8. The corvette Congreso, launched at Lisbon 24 August 1823, ex- Cibele and became Elisa 1833-1839.

9. The corvette Donna Isabel Maria, launched at Lisbon 24 August 1823, since 1833 Isabel Maria, sold at Lisbon as useless 1854.

10. Cacela, the 22-gun corvet Princesa Real, purchased at Pernambuco 1818, former merchant gally Activo, since 1833 Cacela.

11. Purchased at Porto 1831, 24-guns corvette, wrecked off Tejo 1834.

12. Bergantim, 20 guns, launched 1816, sold at Lisbon as useless 1854.

13. A 22-gun brigantim, launched 10-13 April 1819, wrecked 1834/sold.

14. The 16-gun bergantim Conde de Vila Flor, launched at Damao 29 December 1825; the former D. Estevam de Ataide renamed 1831?, last mentioned 1862.

15. The brig Vinte e Tres of 1833, former Vinte e Dois or the brig Vintee Tres de Julho, purchased at Porto 1832, sunk 1833 by forces of Michael.

16. Brig-escuna, purchased 1831 at Terceira, armed with 6 carronades, sunk 1843.

17. Purchased 1833, armed with 6 guns, 1856 last mentioned.

18. The 16-gun brig Don Pedro, launched at Lisbon 1830 and wwrecked off Tejo 1845?

19. Sao Joao Magnanimo, 26 guns, built at Para 1797, sold at Lisbon as useless 1845.

20. The Oito de Julho, 24-gun corvette, launched at Lisbon 8 July 1834, sold at Lisbon as useless 1856?