Brazilian battleship Riachuelo facts for kids
Riachuelo was a powerful warship, an ironclad battleship, built for the Brazilian Navy. She was finished in 1883. This ship was named after the important Battle of Riachuelo from 1865. Riachuelo was built in the United Kingdom and served Brazil until 1910.
The ironclad Riachuelo, 1885.
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 Brazil |
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| Name | Riachuelo |
| Namesake | Battle of Riachuelo |
| Builder | Samuda Brothers, London, UK |
| Laid down | 31 August 1881 |
| Launched | 7 June 1883 |
| Commissioned | 19 November 1883 |
| Decommissioned | 1910 |
| Fate | Scrapped 1914 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Ironclad battleship |
| Displacement | 5,029 tons |
| Length | 93.33 m (306.2 ft) |
| Beam | 17.16 m (56.3 ft) |
| Draft | 5.60 m (18.4 ft) |
| Installed power | 4,500 hp (3,400 kW) |
| Speed | 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Range | 6,000 nmi (11,000 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h) |
| Complement | 367 |
| Armament |
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Contents
Building a Mighty Ship: Riachuelo's Design
Riachuelo was built because Brazil wanted a stronger navy. The Brazilian Minister of the Navy, Admiral José Rodrigues de Lima Duarte, believed new battleships were very important. Brazil decided to order two ships from British shipyards.
Riachuelo was built by Samuda Brothers in London. Her construction started on August 31, 1881. This is called being laid down. She was launched (put into the water for the first time) on June 7, 1883. Finally, she was commissioned (officially joined the Brazilian Navy) on November 19, 1883. Her sister ship, Aquidabã, was launched a bit later in 1885.
Special Features of the Riachuelo
Riachuelo was special because she had a hull made of steel. She was also one of the first battleships to have a compound armour belt. This was a new type of strong protection.
Both Riachuelo and Aquidabã had a unique design. Their two main gun turrets were not in the middle of the ship. Instead, they were placed en echelon. This means one turret was slightly to the left (forward) and the other slightly to the right (aft).
The ship also had a long upper structure that ran from front to back. It was taller than the gun turrets. Riachuelo had two funnels and three tall masts with sails. You could tell Aquidabã apart because she only had one funnel.
These two modern battleships made the Brazilian Navy the strongest in the Western Hemisphere. This was a big deal! In 1883, a US politician named Hilary A. Herbert even warned the American Congress. He said that if the entire old US Navy faced Riachuelo, it was doubtful any US ship would survive. This shows how impressive Riachuelo was at the time.
Later, the US Navy built ships like USS Maine and USS Texas. They were launched in 1889 and 1892 and had a similar design. However, by the time these US ships were finished in 1895, new ideas in battleship design had already made them less modern.
Riachuelo played a part in important historical events. When Brazil became a republic in 1889, Riachuelo helped escort the Brazilian Imperial Family to Europe. They were going into exile, meaning they had to leave their home country.
In 1891, there was a naval uprising in Brazil called the Revolta da Armada. This was a mutiny by parts of the Brazilian Navy. At that time, both Riachuelo and Aquidabã were in the dock for repairs. The uprising eventually led to the President, Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca, stepping down from power.
Upgrades and Final Missions
Riachuelo received important upgrades in Toulon, France, between 1893 and 1894. During this time, her three tall masts with sails were replaced. She got two new masts that were not rigged for sails.
After her upgrades, Riachuelo returned to active duty in 1896. She even led a group of ships called the "White Squadron" in 1900. This was when President Campos Sales made an official visit to Argentina. Her last big mission was in 1907. She carried the Brazilian Naval Commission to pick up two brand new battleships, Minas Geraes and São Paulo.
Riachuelo was taken out of service in 1910. She was then towed to Europe to be taken apart for scrap metal. She arrived in Scotland on May 14, 1914, and was broken up there.
See also
- USS Texas (1892)
