Spanish cruiser Alfonso XIII
Encyclopedia
Alfonso XIII was a Reina Regente-class first-class protected cruiser
of the Spanish Navy
which served in the Spanish fleet from 1896 until the early years of the 20th century.
. Laid down in 1891, she was launched on 31 August 1891. In 1896, she entered service in a partially completed state as a training ship. She finally was fully completed and commissioned on 18 May 1900.
The ships of the class were intended to have heavy armament and high speed on a small displacement. The lead ship, Reina Regente, although otherwise considered excellent, had proven top-heavy, so changes were made to Alfonso XIII to address this, including a smaller main gun. However, the changes, intended to improve upon Reina Regente, instead left Alfonso XIII left her lightly armed, slow, and still unstable in heavy seas.
The Hontoria
-built 7.9-inch (201-mm) guns were in single mounts on the broadside fore and aft, while the 4.7-inch (120-mm) guns were in a central battery amidships. All five torpedo tubes were fixed and above the waterline, with two forward, one on each broadside, and one aft.
, she was sent to Cadiz
on 7 May 1898 to join the Spanish Navy's 2nd Squadron, under the command of Rear Admiral Manuel de Camara
, then forming for a voyage to the Philippines
. Due to her incomplete condition, Camara decided to leave her behind at Cadiz when his squadron departed on 16 June 1898 on its abortive voyage. Alfonso XIII spent the rest of the war in Spanish waters to defend Spain's coast from United States Navy
raids.
After the war, Alfonso XIII finally was completed on 18 May 1900, and she was commissioned the same day. Her shortcomings in seaworthiness led her to having a short career, and she was soon stricken and scrapped.
Protected cruiser
The protected cruiser is a type of naval cruiser of the late 19th century, so known because its armoured deck offered protection for vital machine spaces from shrapnel caused by exploding shells above...
of the Spanish Navy
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...
which served in the Spanish fleet from 1896 until the early years of the 20th century.
Technical Characteristics
Alfonso XIII was built at the naval shipyard at Ferrol in SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Laid down in 1891, she was launched on 31 August 1891. In 1896, she entered service in a partially completed state as a training ship. She finally was fully completed and commissioned on 18 May 1900.
The ships of the class were intended to have heavy armament and high speed on a small displacement. The lead ship, Reina Regente, although otherwise considered excellent, had proven top-heavy, so changes were made to Alfonso XIII to address this, including a smaller main gun. However, the changes, intended to improve upon Reina Regente, instead left Alfonso XIII left her lightly armed, slow, and still unstable in heavy seas.
The Hontoria
Hontoria
Hontoria is one of 28 parishes in Llanes, a municipality within the province and autonomous community of Asturias, in northern Spain.-Villages:* Cardoso * Hontoria* Villahormes...
-built 7.9-inch (201-mm) guns were in single mounts on the broadside fore and aft, while the 4.7-inch (120-mm) guns were in a central battery amidships. All five torpedo tubes were fixed and above the waterline, with two forward, one on each broadside, and one aft.
Operational history
Alfonso XIII was not yet fully complete when she entered service as a training ship in 1896. Still incomplete at the time of the Spanish-American WarSpanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, she was sent to Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
on 7 May 1898 to join the Spanish Navy's 2nd Squadron, under the command of Rear Admiral Manuel de Camara
Manuel de Camara
Manuel de la Cámara y Libermoore was a rear admiral of the Spanish Navy during the Spanish-American War.Immediately after the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in April 1898, the Spanish Navy ordered major units of its fleet to concentrate at Cadiz to form the 2nd Squadron, under the command of...
, then forming for a voyage to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Due to her incomplete condition, Camara decided to leave her behind at Cadiz when his squadron departed on 16 June 1898 on its abortive voyage. Alfonso XIII spent the rest of the war in Spanish waters to defend Spain's coast from United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
raids.
After the war, Alfonso XIII finally was completed on 18 May 1900, and she was commissioned the same day. Her shortcomings in seaworthiness led her to having a short career, and she was soon stricken and scrapped.