I mentioned this work in the acquired book section of this issue and thought that this data might be of interest as there are quite a few details of this ship printed, this one being contemporary. T.D.H.
From Vol.I "Documentos Relativos a la Campana del
Pacifico 1863-67"
Archivo Alvaro de Bazan
Messra. Laird Brothers, of Birkenhead, have lately completed for the Peruvian Government an armour-clad seagoing turret-ship of 1,100 tons and 300 horsepower, with a speed of more than twelve knots an hour on a draught of water of 16 ft. throwing a weight of broadside of 600 lb. from her turret, besides carrying two 40 pounder rifled guns on the quarter-deck. The dimensions are about 200 ft. extreme length, 35 ft. breadth, 20 ft. deep, and 1,100 tons measurement.
The hull is of iron of great strength, and is divided internally by bulkheads into water-tight compartments, so as to enclose her turret, engines boilers, all her vital points, in fact in seperate compartments. In addition to this provision for the ship's security, there is a double bottom under the engines, boilers, turrets, and magazines, extending up to the lower deck. The armour plating is 4 and 1/2 inches thick, extending from her upper deck to 3 and 1/2 ft. below the water line, slightly tapering towards the bow and stern, to lessen the tendency to pitch in a seaway, and rests on teak backing 10 inches thick.
The accommodation for the officers and crew is of a very superior description, well ventilated by means of skylights and side scuttles, and there is free communication from one end of the ship to the other by iron sliding doors on all the water-tight bulkheads. The spaces in the store-room and magazines are ample for the stowage of six months' provisions and ammunition.
The turret is cylindrical in shape, covered with armour-plates 5 and 1/2 inches thick and is placed before the engine room, and is fitted with slides and carriages for two 12 and 1/2 ton -300- pounder guns on the system of Captain Cowper P. Coles, R.N. The right is that of a brig, the foremast being fitted as a tripod, on Captain Coles's patent, to give greater range of training to the guns in the turret.
The engines are 300 horsepower nominal, having cylinders 54 inches in diameter, 3 ft. stroke, driving a four-bladed screw-propeller, 14 ft. 9 ins. in diameter, 17 ft. 9 ins. pitch. The cylinders have steam-jackets and improved expansion valves. The trials of speed made at the measured mile gave as the result of four runs a speed of 12.27 knots an hour.
At the time of those trials the vessel was completed in every way, except guns and sea stores, and had one hundred tons of coal in the bunkers. The mean draught of water was 14 ft. 3 inches; the engines made seventy-eight revolutions pressure of steam 251b. vacuum 26 inches- indicated horsepower 1650. The engines worked very well and the boilers gave an abundant supply of steam. The ship was quick in answering her helm, and her steering arrangements are excellent, having one wheel in front of the poop and the second under the pilot-tower, forward. The "Huascar" has since been sent to sea, with her guns and all stores, and has behaved very well.
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Copyright 1996 by The South and Central Military Historians Society