Spanish cruiser Isla de Cuba
Encyclopedia
Isla de Cuba was an Isla de Luzon class second-class protected cruiser
of the Spanish Navy
which fought in the Battle of Manila Bay.
in the United Kingdom
. She was laid down on 25 February 1886, launched on 11 December 1886, and completed on 22 September 1887. She had a steel hull and one funnel. Having a wide beam for her length, she had poor seakeeping qualities and tended to bury her bow in waves. Small for a protected cruiser
, she was often called a gunboat
by 1898.
of 1893-1894, bombarding the reef between Melilla
ad Chafarinos. When the Philippine Revolution
of 1896-1898 broke out in the Philippines
, Isla de Cuba was sent there to join the squadron of Rear Admiral Patricio Montojo de Pasaron
.
She was still part of Montojo's squadron when the Spanish-American War
began in April 1898. She was anchored with the squadron in Cañacao Bay
under the lee of the Cavite Peninsula
east of Sangley Point, Luzon
, eight miles southwest of Manila
, when, early on the morning of 1 May 1898, the United States Navy
's Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey
, found Montojo's anchorage and attacked. The resulting Battle of Manila Bay was the first major engagement of the Spanish-American War.
The American squadron made a series of firing passes, wreaking great havoc on the Spanish ships. At first, Dewey's ships concentrated their fire on Montojo's flagship, unprotected cruiser Reina Cristina
, and on unprotected cruiser Castilla
, and Isla de Cuba suffered little damage. When Reina Cristina was disabled, Isla de Cuba and her sister ship, Isla de Luzon
, came alongside the sinking Reina Cristina to assist her under heavy American gunfire. Admiral Montojo shifted his flag to Isla de Cuba.
When Montojo's squadron had been battered into submission, Isla de Cuba was scuttled in shallow water to avoid capture. Her upper works remained above the water, and a team from gunboat USS Petrel
went aboard and set Isla de Cuba on fire.
After the United States occupied the Philippines, the United States Navy
seized, salvaged, and repaired Isla de Cuba and commissioned her as gunboat USS Isla de Cuba in 1900 for service in the Philippines.
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 fought in the Battle of Manila Bay.
Technical Characteristics
Isla de Cuba was built by ElswickArmstrong Whitworth
Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. Headquartered in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth engaged in the construction of armaments, ships, locomotives, automobiles, and aircraft.-History:In 1847,...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. She was laid down on 25 February 1886, launched on 11 December 1886, and completed on 22 September 1887. She had a steel hull and one funnel. Having a wide beam for her length, she had poor seakeeping qualities and tended to bury her bow in waves. Small for a protected cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
, she was often called a gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
by 1898.
Operational history
Upon completion, Isla de Cuba joined the Metropolitan Fleet in Spain. She participated in the Rif WarRif War (1893)
The First Melillan campaign, also called the Melilla War or the Margallo War in Spain, was a conflict between Spain and 39 of the Rif tribes of northern Morocco, and later the Sultan of Morocco, that began in October 1893, was openly declared November 9, 1893,...
of 1893-1894, bombarding the reef between Melilla
Melilla
Melilla is a autonomous city of Spain and an exclave on the north coast of Morocco. Melilla, along with the Spanish exclave Ceuta, is one of the two Spanish territories located in mainland Africa...
ad Chafarinos. When the Philippine Revolution
Philippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution , called the "Tagalog War" by the Spanish, was an armed military conflict between the people of the Philippines and the Spanish colonial authorities which resulted in the secession of the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire.The Philippine Revolution began in August...
of 1896-1898 broke out in 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...
, Isla de Cuba was sent there to join the squadron of Rear Admiral Patricio Montojo de Pasaron
Patricio Montojo
Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasarón was a career Spanish naval officer most known for his defeat at the Battle of Manila Bay by Admiral George Dewey, a decisive battle of the Spanish-American War....
.
She was still part of Montojo's squadron when the Spanish-American War
Spanish-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...
began in April 1898. She was anchored with the squadron in Cañacao Bay
Cañacao Bay
Cañacao Bay is an inlet of Manila Bay at the end of the Cavite Peninsula, in Cavite Province, Luzon, the Philippines.The bay is a good anchorage and its northern part is the harbor of Cavite Naval Base.-References:...
under the lee of the Cavite Peninsula
Cavite Peninsula
The Cavite Peninsula is a narrow point in northeastern Cavite Province, Luzon, the Philippines. Bacoor Bay lies between the peninsula and the mainland. The City of Cavite is located on the peninsula....
east of Sangley Point, Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, eight miles southwest of Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, when, early on the morning of 1 May 1898, the 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...
's Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey
George Dewey
George Dewey was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War...
, found Montojo's anchorage and attacked. The resulting Battle of Manila Bay was the first major engagement of the Spanish-American War.
Spanish cruiser Reina Cristina
Reina Cristina was an Alfonso XII-class unprotected cruiser of the Spanish Navy which fought in the Battle of Manila Bay.-Technical Characteristics:...
, and on unprotected cruiser Castilla
Spanish cruiser Castilla
Castilla was an Aragon-class unprotected cruiser of the Spanish Navy that fought in the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War.-Technical characteristics:Castilla was built at Cadiz, Spain...
, and Isla de Cuba suffered little damage. When Reina Cristina was disabled, Isla de Cuba and her sister ship, Isla de Luzon
Spanish cruiser Isla de Luzon
Isla de Luzón was an Isla de Luzón-class protected cruiser of the Spanish Navy which fought in the Battle of Manila Bay.-Technical Characteristics:...
, came alongside the sinking Reina Cristina to assist her under heavy American gunfire. Admiral Montojo shifted his flag to Isla de Cuba.
When Montojo's squadron had been battered into submission, Isla de Cuba was scuttled in shallow water to avoid capture. Her upper works remained above the water, and a team from gunboat USS Petrel
USS Petrel (PG-2)
|-External links:* at navsource.org...
went aboard and set Isla de Cuba on fire.
After the United States occupied the Philippines, the 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...
seized, salvaged, and repaired Isla de Cuba and commissioned her as gunboat USS Isla de Cuba in 1900 for service in the Philippines.
See also
- USS Isla de Cuba
- Navsource.org: USS Isla de Cuba