The first Imperial Brazilian Ironclads

Why did the Imperial Brazilian Navy acquire ironclads?

In 1862, Francisco Solano López became the President-Dictator of Paraguay. He modernised and expanded the nation’s industries – particularly steel, textiles, paper, ink, shipbuilding, armaments, and gunpowder – as well as installing telegraph lines and building railways.

He also modernised and expanded the Paraguayan armed forces and greatly strengthened the nation’s defences by constructing the Fortress of Humaitá as well as fortifications on the Apa River and in the Gran Chaco.

Although the shipyards could construct smaller warships, they were not able to build ironclads, and López ordered seven from British and French shipyards. These were the Belona and Minerva from John Laird of Birkenhead, the Triton, Medusa, Cabral, and Colombo from J and G Rennie of Millwall, and Nemesis from Arman Brothers, Bordeaux.

This policy of expansion was viewed with growing apprehension by Paraguay’s neighbours, particularly Brazil and Argentina, and they responded by expanding their own armed forces.

At the time, Uruguay had a Blanco party government that was fighting a revolt led by the Colorado party. The Blancos enjoyed friendly relations with López’s government whereas the Colorados were supported by the Imperial Brazilians. The Paraguayans sent several diplomatic notes to both the Brazilians and Argentinians warning them note to involve themselves in Uruguayan internal politics.

The Brazilians – who were supported by the Argentinians – ignored this, and 12th October 1864, they invaded Uruguay. In response, on 15th December 1864 the Paraguayans retaliated by invading the Brazilian province of Mato Grosso, and on 23rd March 1865 they declared war on Argentina. By this time the Colorados – with Brazilian assistance – had seized control in Uruguay, and on 1st May 1865 the Empire of Brazil, the Republic of Argentina, and the Republic of Uruguay signed the Secret Treaty of the Triple Alliance, and the Paraguayan War began in earnest.

When the was broke out, the Imperial Brazilian navy had no ironclads, but it was obvious that if they were to defeat the Paraguayans, such ships would be needed.

The lessons of the American Civil War – and particularly the riverine operations on the Mississippi – showed that armoured warships were going to be needed if the allied armed forces were to be able to advance up the River Paraguay and overcome the Fortress of Humaitá. As a result, the Imperial Brazilian Navy ordered four ironclads, three from a Brazilian naval shipyard (Barrozo, Tamandare, and Rio de Janeiro from Arsenal de Marinha da Côrte, Rio de Janeiro) and one – Brazil – from Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, La Seyne-sur-Mer, France. They were also able to buy the seven undelivered Paraguayan ironclads, which were renamed Lima Barros, Bahia, Silvado, Mariz e Barros, Herval, Cabral, and Colombo.

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The Imperial Brazilian Ironclads

Barrozo

• Builder: Arsenal de Marinha da Côrte, Rio de Janeiro
• Cost: £55,046
• Laid down: 21st February 1865; Launched: 4th November 1865; Completed: 11th January 1866
• Displacement: 960 tons
• Dimensions: Length: 61.44 m (201 ft 7 in); Beam: 10.97 m (36 ft 0 in); Draught: 2.74 m (9.0 ft)
• Propulsion: 2 x boilers; 1 x steam engine; 1 shaft
• Speed: 9 knots
• Complement: 149 officers and men
• Armament: 1 × 120-pounder Whitworth rifled muzzle-loading guns; 2 × 70-pounder Whitworth rifled guns; 2 × 68-pounder smoothbore guns; 2 × 12-pounder smoothbore guns
• Armour: Belt: 51–102 mm (2.0–4.0 in); Casemate: 102 mm (4.0 in); Deck: 12.7 mm (0.50 in)

Brasil

• Builder: Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, La Seyne-sur-Mer
• Laid down: 1864; Launched: 23rd December 1864; Commissioned: 2nd March 1865
• Displacement: 1,494 tons
• Dimensions: Length: 63.41 m (208 ft 0 in); Beam: 10.75 m (35 ft 3 in); Draught: 3.81 m (12.5 ft)
• Propulsion: 2 x boilers, 1 x steam engine, 1 shaft
• Speed:10.5 knots
• Armament: 4 × 70-pounder Whitworth rifled guns; 4 × 68-pounder smoothbore guns
• Armour: Belt: 90–114 mm (3.5–4.5 in); Casemate: 102 mm (4.0 in)

Tamandare

• Builder: Arsenal de Marinha da Corte, Rio de Janeiro
• Cost: £40,506
• Laid down: 31st May 1865; Launched: 21st June 1865: Completed:16th September 1865 
• Displacement: 742 tons Dimensions: Length: 51.36 m (168 ft 6 in); Beam: 9.19 m (30 ft 2 in); Draught: 2.44 m (8.0 ft)
• Propulsion: 2 x boilers; 1 x steam engine; 1 shaft
• Speed: 8 knots
• Complement: 120 officers and men
• Armament: 1 × 70-pounder Whitworth rifled gun; 3 × 68-pounder smoothbore guns; 2 × 12-pounder smoothbore guns
• Armour: Belt: 51–102 mm (2.0–4.0 in); Casemate: 102 mm (4.0 in); Deck: 12.7 mm (0.50 in)

Rio de Janeiro

• Builder: Arsenal de Marinha da Corte, Rio de Janeiro
• Cost: £47,409 Laid down: 28th June 1865; Launched:18th February 1866; Completed: 1st March 1866; Commissioned: April 1866
• Displacement: 857 tons Dimensions: Length: 56.69 m (186 ft 0 in); Beam: 9.19 m (30 ft 2 in); Draught: 2.62 m (8.6 ft)
• Propulsion: 2 x boilers, 1 steam engine, 1 shaft
• Speed: 9 knots
• Complement: 148 officers and men
• Armament: 2 × 70-pounder Whitworth rifled guns; 2 × 68-pounder smoothbore guns
• Armour: Belt: 51–102 mm (2.0–4.0 in); Casemate: 102 mm (4.0 in); Deck: 12.7 mm (0.50 in)

Lima Barros (originally the Paraguayan Belona)

• Builder: Laird Brothers, Birkenhead
• Laid down: 1864; Launched: 21st December 1865; Completed: 3rd April 1866
• Displacement: 1,705 tons
• Dimensions: Length: 200 ft 2 in (61.0 m); Beam:38 ft 2 in (11.6 m); Draught:12 ft 8 in (3.9 m)
• Propulsion: 2 trunk steam engines; 2 shafts
• Speed:12 knots
• Complement: 170 officers and men
• Armament: 2 × twin 120-pounder Whitworth rifled muzzle-loading guns
• Armour: Belt: 3–4.5 in (76–114 mm); Gun turrets: 4.5 in (114 mm)

Bahia (originally the Paraguayan Minerva)

• Builder: Laird Brothers, Birkenhead
• Laid down: 1864; Launched: 11th June 1865; Completed: 22nd January 1866
• Displacement: 928 tons Dimensions: Length: 175 ft 8 in (53.5 m); Beam: 35 ft 2 in (10.7 m); Draught: 7 ft 9 in (2.4 m)
• Propulsion: 2 x boilers; 2 trunk steam engines; 2 shafts
• Speed: 10 knots
• Complement: 120 officers and men
• Armament: 2 × 120-pounder Whitworth rifled muzzle-loading guns
• Armour: Belt: 3–4.5 in (76–114 mm); Gun turret: 4.5 in (114 mm)

Silvado (originally the Paraguayan Nemesis)

• Builder: Arman Brothers, Bordeaux
• Laid down:1864; Launched:1865; Completed:15th September 1866
• Displacement: 1,330 tons
• Dimensions: Length: 66 m (216 ft 6 in); Beam: 11.6 m (38 ft 1 in); Draught: 3.9 m (13 ft)
• Propulsion: 2 x trunk steam engines; 2 shafts
• Speed: 10 knots
• Complement: 170 officers and men
• Armament: 2 × twin 70-pounder Whitworth rifled muzzle-loading guns
• Armour: Belt: 3–4.5 in (76–114 mm); Gun turret: 4.5 in (110 mm)

Mariz e Barros-class (Mariz e Barros and Herval, originally the Paraguayan Triton and Medusa)

• Builder: J. and G. Rennie, Millwall, London
• Laid down: 1865; Launched: 1865; Commissioned: 1866
• Displacement: 1,196 tons
• Dimension: Length: 191 ft (58 m); Beam: 36.1 ft (11.0 m); Draught: 8.20 ft (2.50 m)
• Propulsion: 2 x steam engines; 2 shafts
• Speed: 9 knots
• Complement:125 officers and enlisted men
• Armament: 2 x 120-pounder Armstrong Whitworth muzzle-loading rifled guns; 2 × 68-pounder smoothbore guns (Mariz e Barros) OR 4 × 120-pounder Armstrong Whitworth muzzle-loading rifled guns (Herval)
• Armour: Belt: 3 in–4.5 in (76 mm–114 mm)

Cabral-class (Cabral and Colombo, originally ordered by Paraguay)

• Builders: J. and G. Rennie, Millwall, London
• Laid down:1864; Completed: 1866
• Displacement: 1,033 tons
• Dimensions: Length: 160 ft (48.8 m); Beam: 35 ft 6 in (10.8 m); Draught: 11.75–12.1 ft (3.6–3.7 m)
• Propulsion: 2 x steam engines; 2 shafts
• Speed: 10.5 knots
• Armament: 8 × 70-pounder Whitworth rifled muzzle-loading guns (Cabral) OR a mixture of 70-pounder Whitworth rifled muzzle-loading guns and 68-pounder smoothbore guns (Colombo)
• Armour: Belt: 3–4.5 in (76–114 mm)