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Portuguese cruiser Dom Carlos I

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Portuguese cruiser Dom Carlos I, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 29 November 202522 sources
NRP Almirante Reis (formerly Dom Carlos I)
Company typeNaval warship
IndustryMilitary shipbuilding
FoundedMay 5, 1898; 128 years ago (1898-05-05) (launched)
Defunct1925 (1925)
FateRetired and struck from naval records
Headquarters
Elswick
,
United Kingdom
ProductsProtected cruiser warship

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Dom Carlos I, later known as NRP Almirante Reis' from 1910 onward, was a unique Portuguese Navy cruiser operating in the early twentieth century. Constructed by the British Armstrong yard at Elswick, it exemplified the typical protected cruiser design characteristic of the era. The vessel was launched in 1898 and commissioned into service the following year. Throughout its operational life, it fulfilled diplomatic and ceremonial roles and actively participated in the events surrounding the 5 October 1910 revolution. During World War I, due to deterioration of its boiler system, it was retired from frontline duties and officially removed from naval records in 1925. At the time, it stood as the largest warship in Portugal’s naval fleet.

The cruiser displaced 4,186 tons and was armed primarily with four 152 mm main guns alongside eight secondary weapons of 120 mm caliber. Powered by steam engines, it could achieve speeds up to 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph).

History

Main article: Portuguese Navy

Constructed under a naval expansion initiative declared by royal decree on March 20, 1890,[1] this ship was part of Portugal’s effort to reinforce its maritime forces amid escalating tensions with the United Kingdom over African territorial disputes.[1] The original plan envisioned building four coastal defense vessels and ten medium cruisers; however, financial constraints limited procurement to five cruisers and a single destroyer over the subsequent decade.[2][3] Among these ships, Dom Carlos I, named after then-reigning monarch Carlos I of Portugal, was the only fully-fledged cruiser, while the others were smaller units.[3] The vessel was ordered from Armstrong Whitworth at Elswick, England, reflecting the design lineage of "Elswick cruisers" produced for foreign navies; its model closely followed that of the earlier Japanese-built cruiser Yoshino.[4] The order was placed in January 1897,[5] with keel laying taking place within that year. The ship reached launch on May 5, 1898, and completed construction by the next year.[5]

Description

Overall Design and Characteristics

This vessel exemplified a typical British cruiser of moderate size from the turn of the 20th century. Its hull featured elevated decks at both bow and stern, each mounting a single gun, while the midship deck, protected by a low bulwark, housed the primary artillery and secondary guns arranged along both flanks. The bow exhibited a ram shape, with the stern strake mirroring this design by slanting forward symmetrically. A compact bow superstructure was present, complemented by two large masts and a pair of slender, tall funnels positioned amidships at the hull's midpoint.[6] Each mast supported two battle tops.[7] Constructed from steel, the hull's submerged section was sheathed with layers of wood and copper plating.[7] Featuring a double hull, additional protection around the boiler and engine compartments was provided by coal bunkers acting as cofferdams (cofferdams [pl]), a common defensive measure for cruisers of that era.[7]

The vessel's standard displacement was approximately 4,186 tons.[4][lower-alpha 1] The ship measured 118 meters in overall length, with a length between perpendiculars of 110 meters.[lower-alpha 2] The beam spanned 14.4 meters, and the draft reached 5.33 meters.[8]

Weaponry

The primary offensive suite comprised four single-mounted 152 mm caliber guns alongside eight single 120 mm caliber guns.[4] The 152 mm pieces, equipped with protective shields, were stationed on the fore and aft decks as well as on side sponsons of the upper deck near the bow mast, allowing them to cover firing arcs toward the bow and flanks.[9][10] Remaining artillery was arrayed along the sides, with the rearmost pair of 120 mm guns capable of firing astern.[7] A broadside consisted of three 152 mm and four 120 mm guns.[10] The 152 mm artillery pieces had barrel lengths of L/45 (45 calibers), designated A.(tr.)15/45 in Portugal, likely corresponding to the British CC1 export model from Elswick.[11] These fired semi-armor-piercing shells weighing approximately 39.9 kilograms.[11] The 120 mm guns featured barrels measuring L/45 (effectively 43.96 calibers), labeled A.(tr.)12/45, representing British export model Y, firing semi-armor-piercing shells weighing around 20.4 kilograms.[lower-alpha 3]

The secondary battery included sixteen 47 mm QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss guns and two L/25 caliber 37 mm revolver cannons.[lower-alpha 4] These smaller caliber weapons were positioned along the sides at bow and stern—two pairs firing forward and aft—amidships, and on lower battle masts.[7] Additionally, three machine guns were installed.[8] Torpedo weaponry comprised five single-launcher tubes of 356 mm caliber.[4] Among these, three were fixed underwater tubes located at bow and stern firing forward and sideways respectively,[7] while two others were above-water movable tubes mounted on either side behind the engine room.[7] By the start of World War I, only two above-water torpedo tubes remained operational.[12]

Armor

The vessel featured an internal armored deck measuring 37 mm in thickness amidships and increasing to 110 mm at the side haunches.[lower-alpha 5] This armored deck spanned the entire length of the ship.[7] Furthermore, the command turret was shielded by 102 mm thick armor.[8][lower-alpha 6] Some references also mention that the protective masks for the 120 mm caliber guns were 76 mm thick, although there is no available data regarding masks for the 152 mm caliber artillery.[7]

Propulsion

The ship’s propulsion system consisted of two vertical four-cylinder compound engines, each including two low-pressure cylinders, built by Hawthorn, Leslie & Co.[7] The cylinder diameters measured 30.5 inches, 49 inches, and two cylinders at 56 inches each, with a piston stroke length of 27 inches.[7] These engines were designed to produce a combined output of 12,500 hp, driving a pair of propellers.[8] Notably, the vessel employed twelve Yarrow water-tube boilers—a relatively innovative choice at the time.[4] The boilers provided a total heating surface area of 2973 m2.[13] During sea trials, the cruiser achieved a speed of 22.15 knots (41.02 km/h; 25.49 mph) using forced draft, with an estimated maximum speed of 22.5 knots, 41.7 km/h, 25.9 mph under favorable conditions.[14] At the onset of World War I, its top speed was recorded at 19 knots.[8] The standard coal capacity was approximately 700 tons, extendable to a maximum of 1,000 tons.[7] This unusually large coal storage for a ship of its class enabled an extended operational range near 10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at a cruising speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph), making it well-suited for deployment across the Portuguese Empire.[4]

Equipment

Auxiliary machinery powered generators that supplied electrical energy for onboard systems.[15] The ship was outfitted with three combat searchlights.[7] In 1902, it became the first vessel in the Portuguese Navy to be equipped experimentally with a radio communication station.[16] Additionally, in 1911 it was fitted with optical rangefinders—another first for Portugal’s naval forces.[16]

Photograph of the cruiser flying the royal standard after commissioning
Almirante Reis

Service

Dom Carlos I held the distinction of being the largest vessel in the Portuguese Navy throughout its operational life. Commissioned on July 8, 1899, it represented the most advanced ship in the fleet at the time. Beyond its regular duties, it frequently served ceremonial and representational roles. For instance, in April 1900, it functioned as the royal family's yacht during a voyage to Madeira. On April 9 of the same year, it took part in commemorations marking the 400th anniversary of Brazil’s discovery and was honored by a visit from Brazil's president in Rio de Janeiro. Later that summer, while docked in Ferrol, Spain, members of the Spanish royal family toured the ship. In October, it carried the Portuguese royal family during the international festivities for unveiling Prince Henry the Navigator’s statue in Porto. Early in 1901, Dom Carlos I represented Portugal at Queen Victoria's funeral ceremonies held in Portsmouth. The following year, June 1902, saw the cruiser participate in a naval review at Spithead near Portsmouth to celebrate King Edward VII’s coronation, with Prince Luís Filipe, heir to the Portuguese throne, aboard. That same year marked the beginning of Portugal’s initial radiotelegraph experiments aboard this cruiser. In 1905, Dom Carlos I was deployed to Madeira when the island was quarantined due to an epidemic.

During this era of service, Portugal faced significant internal turmoil. In April 1906, the crew of Dom Carlos I joined a mutiny alongside sailors from the coastal defense battleship Vasco da Gama, an uprising that ultimately ended with their surrender. Following this event, the cruiser underwent extensive repairs completed by 1907. In September of that year, it was assigned to the Training Squadron, which comprised Portugal's most valuable ships. The year 1908 brought tragedy with the assassination of King Carlos I—the ship’s namesake—leading to Manuel II ascending to the throne. In early 1910, Dom Carlos I visited Argentina to participate in celebrations marking their independence centenary. On October 4, 1910, while moored in Lisbon during the revolution that would overthrow the monarchy on October 5, its crew initially refrained from joining two other mutinous cruisers but later that evening were persuaded to side with the revolutionaries. This resulted in the deaths of the ship’s commander and three officers loyal to the monarchy. Subsequently, sailors from Dom Carlos I engaged in brief conflicts that contributed to ending royal rule. By December 1910, reflecting the political shift, the vessel’s monarchist name was changed first to Cândido Reis and later to Almirante Reis, honoring Admiral Carlos Cândido dos Reis—a revolutionary leader who died during those events.

Throughout World War I, Dom Carlos I remained active initially under Portugal’s neutral stance by escorting convoys between Portugal and its African colonies Angola and Mozambique from 1914 to 1915. However, these operations placed considerable strain on its boilers necessitating repairs and limiting its active deployment after Portugal entered the war on the side of the Triple Entente in 1916. The cruiser’s final voyage occurred in January 1916 before it was relegated to reserve status. Although its boilers were replaced in 1917, this maintenance proved inadequate for continued service. By April 1918, it was disarmed and converted into a stationary accommodation hulk. Some older sources suggest that it underwent partial dismantling followed by an incomplete overhaul before being withdrawn from service in 1923; however, this is not universally confirmed. Officially removed from naval registers on January 22, 1925, it was sold for scrapping in the Netherlands a month later. One account claims that its hull was seized by Dutch forces and subsequently bombed and sunk by German forces in 1940; nevertheless, no definitive evidence supports this narrative.

Notes

  1. ↑ Most references cite a displacement of 4,186 t without further detail.(Jane’s (1990, p. 288)Gardiner, Chesneau & Kolesnik (1979, p. 378)) A contemporary source indicates 4,250 t(Notes on Naval Progress (1899, p. 108)
  2. ↑ The overall length is noted as 387 feet (117.96 meters) in Notes on Naval Progress (1899, p. 108), while Lisycyn (2015, p. 267) lists 117 meters. Length between perpendiculars is commonly given as 360 feet 10 inches (109.98 meters) per Gardiner, Chesneau & Kolesnik (1979) or 110 meters according to Lisycyn (2015), with Notes on Naval Progress citing 360 feet (109.73 meters).
  3. ↑ This information is detailed in Friedman (2011), while some broader sources mistakenly cite L/40 barrels or incorrectly list a 127 mm caliber common in Europe.Lisycyn (2015)Anca & Mitiuckow (2011)
  4. ↑ The count of sixteen 47 mm guns is supported by both Lisycyn and Gardiner et al.. However, some sources indicate a reduction to fourteen by World War I onset (Jane’s, Bałakin, Lisycyn). An earlier pre-service report lists twelve 47 mm cannons, six 37 mm cannons, and four machine guns (Notes on Naval Progress). Contrarily, one publication claims sixteen 57 mm cannons, which conflicts with prevailing literature.Anca & Mitiuckow
  5. ↑ This corresponds with data from Lisycyn (2015, p. 267), Anca & Mitiuckow (2011, p. 19), and Gardiner, Chesneau & Kolesnik (1979, p. 378) (noting 1.5 inches and 4.3 inches, respectively). A contemporary source states the flat portion of the deck was armored with 1.75 inches (44 mm) and the haunches with 4 inches (102 mm) of protection (Notes on Naval Progress (1899, p. 108))
  6. ↑ Period documentation indicates the command turret’s armor thickness was approximately 100 mm. Notes on Naval Progress (1899, p. 108)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :0
  2. ↑ Lisycyn (2015, p. 264)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Gardiner, Chesneau & Kolesnik (1979, p. 377)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Lisycyn (2015, p. 267)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Anca & Mitiuckow (2011, p. 13)
  6. ↑ Based on the drawing Bałakin (1999, p. 22)
  7. ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 Notes on Naval Progress (1899, p. 108)
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Bałakin (1999, p. 22)
  9. ↑ Gardiner, Chesneau & Kolesnik (1979, p. 378)
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Derived from Bałakin (1999, p. 22)
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Friedman (2011, p. 315)
  12. ↑ Jane's
  13. ↑ Notes on Naval Progress (1899, p. 108) Converted from the original figure of 32,000 square feet.
  14. ↑ Notes on Naval Progress (1899, p. 145)
  15. ↑ Notes on Naval Progress (1899, p. 109)
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Anca & Mitiuckow (2011, pp. 14–15)

Bibliography

  • Anca, Alejandro A.; Mitiuckow, Nikołaj (2011). "Portuguese Cruisers". Okręty Wojenne. XVIII (109). Tarnowskie Góry: Wydawnictwo Okręty Wojenne. ISSN 1231-014X.
  • Bałakin, Siergiej (1999). "European Small Warships 1914-1918". Morskaja Kollekcyja (in русский) (3/1999 (27)). Moscow.
  • Friedman, Norman (2011). World War One Naval Armaments. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.
  • Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger; Kolesnik, Eugene, eds. (1979). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-133-5.
  • Jane's Fighting Ships of World War I. London: Random House Group. 1990 [1919]. ISBN 1-85170-378-0.John Moore (introduction)
  • Lisycyn, Fiodor (2015). Cruisers of the First World War. A Unique Encyclopedia. Arsenał Kollekcyja (in русский). Moscow: Jauza – Eksmo. ISBN 978-5-699-84344-2.
  • Office of Naval Intelligence (1899). Naval Progress Notes. General Information Series: Information from Abroad. U.S. Government Printing Office. No. XVIII.

Template:Portuguese Navy

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