Isaac Peral facts for kids
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Isaac Peral y Caballero was a smart Spanish engineer and naval officer. He was born in Cartagena on June 1, 1851. He is famous for designing the Peral Submarine, which was the first electric-powered submarine. It was launched in 1888. Even though the navy liked his invention, political leaders did not fully support it. After this, he left the navy to create other inventions for businesses. He passed away in Berlin on May 22, 1895.
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Isaac Peral's Early Life
Isaac Peral was born in Cartagena because his father, who was a sailor in the Spanish navy, was stationed there. In 1859, his family moved to a military base in San Fernando, Cádiz Province.
When Isaac was 14, he decided to join the naval academy. This was a big financial effort for his family. He worked very hard and got excellent grades. After only two years, at age 16, he joined the Spanish navy as a midshipman. He also studied subjects like geography, physics, and astronomy.
Peral fought in wars in Spain and Cuba. He received many medals for his brave service. In 1876, he married María del Carmen Cencio in Cádiz. They had nine children, but sadly, four of them died when they were young.
In 1881, Peral was working in the Philippines. He got a small cut on his temple at a barber's shop. This cut caused him to be sick for a long time. Later, it became the site of a brain tumor.
How the Peral Submarine Was Developed
Because of his health problems, Isaac Peral could not travel much. So, he was given a job teaching at a new naval school in Cádiz. This gave him time to work on his idea for a submarine powered entirely by batteries. He also wanted it to have a system to fire torpedoes while underwater.
Peral faced several challenges. He needed money to build and test his inventions. He also struggled to get official support. Sometimes, his strong personality made it hard to deal with his bosses, who didn't always share his vision.
Peral first thought of his submarine design on September 20, 1884. He wrote down his ideas in a paper called "Project for a submarine torpedoboat." After many studies and tests, he showed his idea to the Spanish navy. In September 1885, he wrote a letter to the naval minister. The minister invited Peral to Madrid for a meeting. After their talk, the minister agreed to give Peral money to start his studies in Cádiz.
The Peral submarine was the first practical submarine ever built. It was launched on September 8, 1888. During a test with navy officials, it successfully pretended to attack a cruiser at night. It was not seen and returned to port safely. The submarine was designed for coastal areas. It did not have a double hull or a Diesel engine, as petrol engines were not reliable back then. Its performance was very advanced for its time.
However, the navy rejected his second project. Peral became frustrated and felt like he was losing control of his invention. To prevent foreign spies from copying his work, he destroyed the inside of the submarine and its plans.
Later Life and Passing
Isaac Peral was very disappointed with the senior naval engineers who were supposed to oversee his project. Because of this, he left the navy in November 1891. He moved his family to Madrid and started an electric company. He continued to invent and patent new things, like an electric machine gun. He also drew up plans for Spain's first electric power plants. He always hoped that his submarine design would eventually be accepted by the government. One of his workshops was located at 13, Calle de Génova, which is now the Headquarters of the People's Party.
Peral had been suffering from a brain tumor for several years. He had an operation in Berlin to treat it. Sadly, after the surgery, he got meningitis. He died from this illness in Berlin in May 1895. He was first buried in Madrid. In 1911, his body was moved to Cartagena. Today, there is a museum in Cartagena dedicated to him and his amazing inventions.
How Submarine Design Changed After Peral
In 1895, John Philip Holland made a big step forward in submarine design. He created the first system that used both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. This helped submarines travel much farther than just on batteries.
The first submarine to serve in the Spanish Navy, 22 years later, was based on the Holland class submarine. It was named after Peral. Isaac Peral's own experimental submarine was officially removed from navy service in 1913. But it was brought back up from the water in 1929 and sent to Cartagena. Cartagena is the home port for the navy's submarines. It was kept in the local Arsenal until it was given to the city. Since 1965, it has been displayed in different parts of the harbor. Since 2012, it has been shown at the nearby Naval Museum of Cartagena.
Submarines Named After Isaac Peral
Isaac Peral's original experimental submarine is often called the Peral Submarine. However, it was never officially given this name when it was in service.
Several submarines in the Spanish Navy have been named in his honor:
- Isaac Peral (A-0)
- Isaac Peral (C-1)
- Isaac Peral (S-32) (which used to be the USS Ronquil (SS-396))
- Isaac Peral (S-81), which is part of the S-80 class submarine and is currently being built in Cartagena.
See also
In Spanish: Isaac Peral para niños
