Peruvian Ironclad Independencia
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''BAP Independencia'' was a broadside ironclad built in England for the
Peruvian Navy The Peruvian Navy (, abbreviated MGP) is the branch of the Peruvian Military of Peru, Armed Forces tasked with surveillance, patrol and defense on lakes, rivers and the Pacific Ocean up to from the Peruvian littoral. Additional missions include ...
during the mid-1860s. During the
War of the Pacific The War of the Pacific (), also known by War of the Pacific#Etymology, multiple other names, was a war between Chile and a Treaty of Defensive Alliance (Bolivia–Peru), Bolivian–Peruvian alliance from 1879 to 1884. Fought over Atacama Desert ...
of 1879–83, ''Independencia'' ran aground while pursuing the Chilean
schooner A schooner ( ) is a type of sailing ship, sailing vessel defined by its Rig (sailing), rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more Mast (sailing), masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than t ...
'' Covadonga'' during the Battle of Punta Gruesa on 21 May 1879. The survivors were rescued by ''Huáscar'' and the wreck destroyed to prevent its capture.


Description

''Independencia'' was long between perpendiculars, had a beam of and a
draft Draft, the draft, or draught may refer to: Watercraft dimensions * Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel * Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail * Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a v ...
of . The ship displaced . She had one trunk steam engine that drove her single propeller. The engine produced which gave the ship a speed of .Silverstone, p. 353 For long-distance travel, ''Independencia'' was fitted with three masts"Some South American Ironclads", p. 204 and
barque A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing ship, sailing vessel with three or more mast (sailing), masts of which the fore mast, mainmast, and any additional masts are Square rig, rigged square, and only the aftmost mast (mizzen in three-maste ...
rigged. She had a crew of 250 officers and crewmen.Gardiner, p. 418 The ship was armed with four Armstrong , twelve and four 30-pounder rifled, muzzle-loading guns. The 7-inch guns were on pivot mountings on the spar deck. She was a central-battery ironclad with the armament concentrated amidships. ''Independencia'' was equipped with a
ram Ram, ram, or RAM most commonly refers to: * A male sheep * Random-access memory, computer memory * Ram Trucks, US, since 2009 ** List of vehicles named Dodge Ram, trucks and vans ** Ram Pickup, produced by Ram Trucks Ram, ram, or RAM may also ref ...
at her bow and her hull was divided into three watertight compartments. The ship had a complete
waterline The waterline is the line where the hull of a ship meets the surface of the water. A waterline can also refer to any line on a ship's hull that is parallel to the water's surface when the ship is afloat in a level trimmed position. Hence, wate ...
armor belt thick. Her battery was protected by armor plates equally as thick.


Construction and career

''Independencia'' was built by Samuda Brothers at their shipyard in
Poplar, London Poplar is a district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is located five miles (8 km) east of Charing Cross and lies on the western bank of the River Lea. Poplar is identified as a major district centre in the London Plan, with its ...
. She was
laid down Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. It is often marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the shipbuilding company and the ultimate owners of the ship. Keel laying is one ...
in 1864 and launched on 8 August 1865 and completed in December 1866.Silverstone, p. 392 She had her boilers replaced in 1878. In February 1879, her armament was reinforced by a rifled, muzzle-loading pivot gun in the bow and a 150-pounder Parrott gun in the stern, also on a pivoting mount. On 21 May 1879, she was in pursuit of ''Covadonga'' after the
Battle of Iquique The Battle of Iquique was a Naval warfare, naval engagement on 21 May 1879, during the War of the Pacific, where a Chile, Chilean corvette commanded by Arturo Prat, Arturo Prat Chacón faced a Peru, Peruvian Ironclad warship, ironclad under Mig ...
and attempted to ram the Chilean ship as ''Independencia'' had only hit her opponent once thus far. The smaller ''Covadonga'' was hugging the coastline and one of her sharpshooters shot ''Independencia''s
helmsman A helmsman or helm (sometimes driver or steersman) is a person who steering, steers a ship, sailboat, submarine, other type of maritime vessel, airship, or spacecraft. The rank and seniority of the helmsman may vary: on small vessels such as fis ...
just as the ship began to turn. Without anyone at the wheel, ''Independencia'' ran aground. ''Covadonga'' turned around and came up aft of ''Independencia''s stern and raked her, forcing her surrender, until ''Huáscar'' drove off the Chilean ship. ''Independencia''s casualties were four dead and eleven wounded; the ship was a total loss and only two 7-inch guns could be salvaged.Greene & Massignani, pp. 307–08 ''Huáscar'' loaded ''Independencia''s crew aboard and blew up the wreck and set it on fire to prevent her capture.


Notes


References

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Independencia 1865 ships Ships of the War of the Pacific Frigates of the Peruvian Navy Steam frigates Shipwrecks of the War of the Pacific Shipwrecks of Chile Maritime incidents in May 1879 Ships built in England