In the years 1860-1880 are several books published dealing with the major, and sometimes minor, navies in the world. Mostly the books gave technical information with some sketches, sometimes also information about the budgets, armour, guns and so on. At least two of these books are digitized by Google and available on the internet. I use(d) both books for notes on this weblog. One chapter is dealing with the Brazilian so-called armoured fleet, which was quite large in that period, presumably the largest in South America and even large compared with a seafaring country like the Netherlands still possessing a colonial 'empire'.
“Turretships
Sete de Setembro, mean draft 15'4", built of iron, 300 nhp, launched 1876, main guns of Withworth 4-9¼". (1)
Solimões, thickness armour 6"-12", backing 10', displacement 3,660 tons, mean draft 11'6", built of iron, 2,200 ihp, maximum speed 11 knots, launched 1875, main guns of Withworth 4-10¼", loaded by hydraulic equipment placed outside the two turrets. The flying deck was fitted out with 2-9 pdr Whitworh riffles and 2 Gatling guns to protect the ship against attacks by torpedo boats. Fitted out with 2 screws, low-freeboard monitor of the American type with no overhang. (2)
Javari, thickness armour 6"-10", backing 10', displacement 3,660 tons, mean draft 11'6", built of iron, 1,685 ihp, maximum speed 11 knots, launched 1875, main guns of Withworth 4-10¼" loaded by hydraulic equipment placed outside the two turrets. The flying deck was fitted out with 2-9 pdr Whitworh riffles and 2 Gatling guns to protect the ship against attacks by torpedo boats. Fitted out with 2 screws, low-freeboard monitor of the American type with no overhang. (3)
Lima Barros, thickness armour 3"-4.5", backing 8', displacement 1,330 tons mean draft 13'5", built of iron, 300 nhp, maximum speed 12 knots, launched 1866, main guns of Withworth 4-7". A high free board vessel fitted out with a drop rail, ¾ sail power and two turrets. Comparable with the Dutch ironclad Prins Hendrik der Nederlanden.(4)
Silvado, thickness armour 3"-4.5", backing 9', displacement 1,130 tons, mean draft 10'6", built of iron, 200 nhp, maximum speed 11 knots, launched 1866, main guns of Withworth 4-5'8". A high free board vessel fitted out with a drop rail, ¾ sail power and two turrets. Comparable with the Dutch ironclad Prins Hendrik. In 1880 mentioned as unseaworthy. (5)
Bahia, thickness armour 2.75"-4.5", backing 11', displacement 984 tons, mean draft 8'6", built of iron, 140 nhp, maximum speed 10,5 knots, launched 1865, main guns of Withworth 2-7". A high free board vessel fitted out with a drop rail, ¾ sail power and two turrets. Comparable with the Dutch ironclad Prins Hendrik. (6)
Casemate ships
Tamandaré, thickness armour 2.5"-4.5", backing 25, displacement 964 tons, mean draft 7'9", built of wood, 80 nhp, maximum speed 8.5 knots, launched 1865, main guns 3-68pdr smooth-bore, 1-5.8", no front and stern fire possible! (7)
Barrozo, thickness armour 2.5"-4.5", backing 25, displacement 964 tons, mean draft 8'5", built of wood, 130 nhp, maximum speed 9 knots, launched 1864, main guns 3-4.7" smooth-bore, 2-7" smooth-bore, 2-68 pdr smooth-bore, no front and stern fire possible! (8)
Cabral, thickness armour 2.75"-4.5", backing 8, displacement 1016 tons, mean draft 11'5", built of wood, 240 nhp, maximum speed 10.5 knots, launched 1864, main guns 2-5.8" of Whitworth, 4-68 pdr smooth-bore. The casemate was in two parts divided by the engine.(9)
Colombo, thickness armour 2.75"-4.5", backing 8, displacement 1016 tons,
mean draft 12'1", built of wood, 240 nhp, maximum speed 10.5 knots, launched 1864, main guns 8-68 pdr smooth-bore. The casemate was in two parts divided by the engine. (10)
Herval, thickness armour 2.75"-4.5", backing 8.5, displacement 787 tons,
mean draft 9'6", built of wood, 200 nhp, maximum speed 9 knots, launched 1865, main guns 4-7" of Whitworth. (11)
Mariz é Barros, thickness armour 2.75"-4.5", backing 8.5, displacement 787 tons,
mean draft 9'6", built of wood, 200 nhp, maximum speed 9 knots, launched 1865, main guns 2-7" of Whitworth, 2-68 pdr smooth-bore. (12)
Brazil, thickness armour 2.75"-4.5", backing 8.5, displacement 1493 tons, mean draft 12'5", built of wood, 250 nhp, maximum speed 11.5 knots, launched 1865, main guns 4-7" of Whitworth, 4-68 pdr smooth-bore. Fitted out with a ram bow and a round stern. The armoured belt encircled the water-line upwards to the height of the upper deck. Still with full sail power. Had one screw. The casemate was fitted out with gun ports in all sides and was also important for the communication in the ship. Except for the casemate ports it was impossible to go from the forward towards the afterward part of the ship and backwards. (13)
Light draft river monitors with one square turret mounted on a turn table
Alagoas, thickness armour 2"- 4,5, backing 14.5", displacement 334 tons, mean draft 4'1", built of wood, 30 nhp, maximum speed 7.5 knots, launched 1864, armed with 1-5'8" Whitworth gun.
Para, thickness armour 2"- 4,5, backing 14.5", displacement 334 tons, mean draft 4'1", built of wood, 30 nhp, maximum speed 7.5 knots, launched 1864, armed with 1-5'8" gun.
Rio Grande, thickness armour 2"- 4,5, backing 14.5", displacement 334 tons, mean draft 4'1", built of wood, 30 nhp, maximum speed 7.5 knots, launched 1864, armed with1-5'8" gun.
Santa Catarina, thickness armour 2"- 4,5, backing 14.5", displacement 334 tons, mean draft 4'1", built of wood, 30 nhp, maximum speed 7.5 knots, launched 1864, armed with 1-7" gun.
Ceara, thickness armour 2"- 4,5, backing 14.5", displacement 334 tons, mean draft 4'1", built of wood, 30 nhp, maximum speed 7.5 knots, launched 1864, armed with 1-7" gun.
Planhy, thickness armour 2"- 4,5, backing 14.5", displacement 334 tons, mean draft 4'1", built of wood, 30 nhp, maximum speed 7.5 knots, launched 1864, armed with 1-7" gun.
Sources
Edward W. Very, Lieutenant USN. Navies of the world; giving concise descriptions of the plans, armament and armor of the naval vessels of twenty of the principal nations together with the latest developments in ordnance, torpedoes and naval architecture, and a concise summary of the principal naval battles of the last twenty years 1860-1880. New Tork, 1880, p. 10-12.
Conway's alll the world's fighting ships 1860-1905. London, 1979, p. 405-406.
Notes
1. According to Conway's: launched at Rio de Janeiro 1874, discarded around 1895, displacement 2172 tons, dimensions 220 x 46'6"x 13'8" and with a crew of 185 men.
2. According to Conway's: built 1874 at Le Havre, France, displacement 3543 tons, dimensions 240 x 57 x 11'5" and with a crew of 135 men.
3. According to Conway's: built 1874 at La Seyne, France, displacement 3543 tons, dimensions 240 x 57 x 11'5" and with a crew of 135 men. Sunk 22 November 1893.
4. According to Conway's: dimensions 196 x 38 x 15'7½", launched at Laird, England 21 December 1865, broken up around 1905. Despite being ordered by Paraguay and to be named Bellona, she was sold to Brazil. Hulked circa 1890 and became a floating battery, broken up around 1905.
5. According to Conway's: dimensions 190 x 36 x 10'6", launched at Arman, France 1866, discarded around 1885. Despite being ordered by Paraguay and to be named Nemesis, she was sold to Brazil.
6. According to Conway's: launced at Laird, England 6 October 1865, discarded around 1895, displacement 1008 tons, dimensions 175'8" x35 x 10'3". Despite being ordered by Paraguay and to be named Minerva, she was sold to Brazil.
7. According to Conway's: displacement 980 tons, dimensions 166'3"x 326 x 7'10", discarded around 1885.
8. According to Conway's: displacement 1354 tons, dimensions 186 x 37 x 8'10", discarded around 1885.
9. According to Conway's: displacement 1033 tons, dimensions 160 x 35'6" x 11'9", discarded around 1885.
10. According to Conway's: displacement 1033 tons, dimensions 160 x 35'6" x 12', discarded around 1885
11. According to Conway's: displacement 1353 tons, dimensions 191 x 36 x 9'6", built 1866 by Rennie, Despite being ordered by Paraguay and to be named Meduza, she was sold to Brazil, discarded around 1885.
12. According to Conway's: displacement 1196 tons, dimensions 191 x 36 x 8'2", built 1866 by Rennie, Despite being ordered by Paraguay and to be named Triton, she was sold to Brazil, discarded around 1890.
13. According to Conway's: built at La Seyne, France 1864. Displacement 1518 tons, dimensions 179'8"x 35 x 12'5", hulked circa 1890 and became a floating battery, broken up around 1905.
