Mexicana (ship) facts for kids
The Mexicana was a Spanish schooner (called a goleta) built in 1791. The Spanish Navy built her in San Blas, which was part of New Spain (now Mexico).
The Mexicana was almost exactly like another ship, the Sutil. Both ships were built to explore the Strait of Georgia. This exploration happened in 1792. Dionisio Alcalá Galiano commanded the Sutil, and Cayetano Valdés y Flores commanded the Mexicana.
During their journey, the Spanish ships met two British ships. These were HMS Discovery and Chatham, led by George Vancouver. The British ships were also exploring the Strait of Georgia. The two groups worked together to map the many waterways between the Strait of Georgia and Queen Charlotte Strait. They proved that Vancouver Island was indeed an island.
After this important first trip, the Mexicana kept serving the San Blas Naval Department. She made several more voyages to Alta California (now California) and the Pacific Northwest coast.
The Mexicana (left, following) and Sutil (right, leading) during the 1792 voyage around Vancouver Island, drawn by José Cardero. Galiano's pennant flies from the mainmast of the Sutil. The Mexicana is spilling the wind from her sails to slow the ship. Mount Baker is in the background.
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Quick facts for kids History |
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| Name | Mexicana |
| Ordered | 1791 |
| Builder | Manuel Bastarrachea, San Blas shipyard, New Spain |
| Cost | 10,513 pesos (1791) |
| Laid down | 27 March 1791 |
| Launched | 21 May 1791 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | goleta (modified topsail schooner-brig) |
| Tons burthen | 33 toneladas |
| Length | 14 m (46 ft) |
| Beam | 3.69 m (12.1 ft) |
| Draft |
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| Depth of hold | 2.32 m (7.6 ft) |
| Propulsion | Sails, oars |
| Sail plan | Modified topsail schooner-brig rigged on two masts |
| Complement | 21 officers, crew, servant, and artist |
Building the Mexicana
In 1789, there was a disagreement called the Nootka Crisis. It was about who owned land and trading rights in the Pacific Northwest. Because of this, Spain needed more ships. Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, who was in charge of the San Blas Naval Base, decided to build up his fleet.
Four new ships were built. These included the schooners Valdés and Activa. Also, two identical schooners, the Mexicana and the Sutil, were constructed. Building the Mexicana started on March 27, 1791. Manuel Bastarrachea, the shipyard's builder, oversaw the work. The Mexicana was launched into the water on May 21, 1791.
The Mexicana was about 14 m (46 ft) long. Her beam (width) was about 3.6 m (12 ft). The depth of her hold was about 1.4 m (4.6 ft). Her tonnage, which measures how much cargo she could carry, was 33 toneladas. The front of the ship sat 1.58 m (5.2 ft) deep in the water. The back sat 1.72 m (5.6 ft) deep.
The Spanish word goleta usually means schooner. But the Mexicana's sails were changed many times. She started as a topsail schooner. Then she was changed to a modified brig and other types. Besides her fore-and-aft sails, the Mexicana had main-mast and fore-mast sails. She also carried topsails and staysails. She had spanker, jib, and flying jib sails too.
The Ship's Journeys
In late 1790, Alejandro Malaspina arrived in Acapulco. He sailed to Alaska and Nootka Sound. On his way back to Acapulco, he met Juan Carrasco. Carrasco told him about finding the Strait of Georgia in July 1791. Malaspina knew it was very important to send another expedition to explore the Strait of Georgia more fully.
Malaspina's own ships, the Descubierta and Atrevida, were not available. They were going to the Philippines. Back in Acapulco, Malaspina found out that the Viceroy of New Spain, the Count of Revillagigedo, was already planning a new exploration trip. He had given the newly finished Mexicana to Francisco Antonio Mourelle for this task.
Malaspina suggested sending the Sutil as well. It was still being built in San Blas. He also proposed that two of his own officers, Galiano and Valdés, should lead the expedition instead of Mourelle. The Viceroy agreed to Malaspina's ideas.
So, Mourelle was replaced by Cayetano Valdés y Flores. Dionisio Alcalá Galiano was given command of the new Sutil. Both Galiano and Valdés were experienced capitanes de fragata (Frigate Captains). Galiano was put in charge of the whole expedition. Other crew members from Malaspina's expedition joined too. Secundino Salamanca and Juan Vernacci became second in command of each ship. José Cardero, an artist, was also assigned to the Mexicana. The Mexicana had 21 people on board. This included officers, soldiers, sailors, and the artist José Cardero.
The Sutil and Mexicana were moved to Acapulco in late December 1791. There, they were prepared for exploration under Malaspina's watch. Both ships were difficult to handle. They had many problems from how they were built. Carpenters made repairs in Acapulco, but the ships still had issues. More changes were made later at Nootka Sound.
The ships left Acapulco on March 8, 1792. They arrived at the Spanish post at Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island on May 12, 1792. On April 14, far from land, the Mexicana's mainmast broke. A quick repair was made at sea, which allowed the journey to continue. Both the Sutil and the Mexicana were fully repaired at Nootka. Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, who was now in charge at Nootka, helped them. The Mexicana got a new mainmast and foremast. To fix the ships, Bodega y Quadra had them pulled into a small cove.
In early June, the two ships entered the Strait of Juan de Fuca. They sailed through the San Juan Islands and into the Strait of Georgia. Near the Fraser River, the Spanish ships met the two ships of the Vancouver Expedition. These British ships were also exploring the same area. The two expeditions shared information and sailed together for a while.
They separated in the Discovery Islands. Vancouver went back to Nootka Sound by one route. Galiano and Valdés returned by another. After reaching Nootka Sound, the Sutil and Mexicana sailed back to San Blas. They arrived there on November 25, 1792.
George Vancouver had a good chance to look at the Sutil and Mexicana. He wrote that he was "astonished" that such ships were used for such an important job. He felt the ships were "the most ill calculated and unfit vessels" for an expedition like this.
After the voyage with Galiano and Valdés, both the Mexicana and Sutil continued to serve the San Blas Naval Department for several years. In 1793, the Mexicana sailed north. Her mission was to explore the Columbia River. She needed to find out if its mouth would be a good place for a new Spanish base.
Under Juan Martínez y Zayas, the Mexicana first sailed to Neah Bay. This was on the south coast of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The Activa was supposed to meet her there but did not arrive. So the Mexicana went south to the mouth of the Columbia River and entered it. Because of the dangerous sandbar, it was decided that the river mouth was not a good place for a base.
The Sutil was at Nootka Sound in 1796. The Mexicana might have been at Nootka in 1797.
