 Conde de Venadito in 1895 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg) Spain | |
| Name | Conde de Venadito |
| Namesake | Count of Venadito |
| Builder | Naval shipyardCartagena |
| Laid down | 1883 |
| Launched | 15 August 1888 |
| Completed | 1888 or 1889 |
| Stricken | 1907 |
| Fate | Sunk as target 1936 |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Class & type | Velasco-classunprotected cruiser |
| Displacement | 1,190 long tons (1,210 t) |
| Length | 210 ft (64 m) |
| Beam | 32 ft (9.8 m) |
| Draft | 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m) maximum |
| Installed power | 1,500 hp (1,100 kW); 4cylindrical boilers |
| Propulsion | 1 shaft; 1Compound-expansion steam engine |
| Sail plan | barque-rigged |
| Speed | 14 knots (26 km/h) |
| Complement | 173 officers and enlisted men |
| Armament |
|
| Notes | Powered by 200–220 tonnes (220–240 short tons) of coal (normal) |
Conde de Venadito was aVelasco-classunprotected cruiser of theSpanish Navy. It was built at the naval shipyard atCartagena, Spain, in 1883, and was completed and launched five years later. In 1895, she unsuccessfully attempted to sink the American merchant shipAllianca offCape Maisi,Cuba, under the suspicion that she was smuggling arms to the Cuban insurgents.[1] She was stricken from the register in 1907 and was finally sunk in 1936 as a target ship.[2]
Conde de Venadito was built at the naval shipyard atCartagena, Spain. Herkeel was laid in 1883, she was launched on 15 August 1888, and she was completed in 1888 or 1889.[3] The vesseldisplaced 1,190 long tons (1,210 t) of water and was 210 ft (64 m) long (length between perpendiculars) with a 32 ft (9.8 m)beam, while still maintaining adraft of 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m). She was powered by one-shaft, horizontal compound,four-cylindrical boilers (normally containing 200–220 tonnes (220–240 short tons) of coal), which helped her reach a speed of 14knots (26 km/h). Her armament consisted of four4.7-inch (119 mm) guns, four6-pounder (57 mm) guns, onemachine gun and two 14 in (356 mm)torpedo tubes operated by a crew of 173 officers and enlisted men. She had one rather tall funnel, an iron hull and was rigged as abarque.[3][4]
She participated in the quadcentennial ofChristopher Columbus's discovery of the "New World". The royal family of theUnited Kingdom used the ship for the large reception. The Monday after the celebration (at 8 AM), when the ships of other nations were leaving, the ship with the royal family passed the line of ships as they waved goodbye.[5] During 1894, she was part of the "training and evolutionary" squadron of the Spanish navy, which was located off the cost ofCuba, which was announced by the SpanishMinister of Marine earlier that year.[6]
In March 1895,Conde de Venadito was involved in an incident with the American merchant shipAllianca offCape Maisí,Cuba. The Spanish ship attempted to stopAllianca for search on suspicion offilibustering, or smuggling arms to the insurgents in Cuba. The American ship failing to stop, the Spanish vessel fired several solid shots at the merchant ship during an unsuccessful chase of about 20 miles (32 km).[7] This touched off much sensational reporting in the American press and is credited by many with crystallizing anti-Spanish sentiment in the American public in the years preceding theSpanish–American War.[1]
In the Spanish–American WarConde de Venadito was first recorded at the port ofSantiago de Cuba on 20 April.[8] She first saw real action in the war when defendingHavana. She first steamed out of the harbor alongsideNueva España on 14 May at 4:20 PM. She manovered in reaction to the U.S.gunboats, while firing two shots 17 km (11 mi) from the U.S. ships, which retreated to 20 km (12 mi) from her. She andNueva España retreated withAguila andFlecha at dusk. At night, the U.S. vessels occupied the harbor. Whether the shots had any effect is not known, due to the distance from which they were fired.[9]
On 10 June at 8:30 AM, theConde de Venadito,Nueva España,Flecha, and theYanéz Pinzon, appeared 1 km (0.62 mi) offshore, and soon fired at Battery No. 1. from 3.8 km (2.4 mi). The U.S. vessels started firing at the four ships from a distance of 10 km (6.2 mi). The fire was accurate at first, until the four Spanish boats backed up to 15 km (9.3 mi) from the U.S. ships, and, at 1:30 PM, the U.S. ships entered the harbor.[10]
She was stricken from the register in 1907. Her hull was later sunk as atarget ship in 1936.[2]
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1936 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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