Minas Geraes-class battleship
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Two ''Minas Geraes-''class battleships were built for the
Brazilian Navy ) , colors= Blue and white , colors_label= Colors , march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco'' , mascot= , equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious war ...
in the early twentieth century. Named and , these "
dreadnought The dreadnought (alternatively spelled dreadnaught) was the predominant type of battleship in the early 20th century. The first of the kind, the Royal Navy's , had such an impact when launched in 1906 that similar battleships built after her ...
" warships were intended to be Brazil's first step towards becoming an international power, and they consequently initiated a South American naval arms race. In 1904, Brazil began a major naval building program that included three small battleships. Designing and ordering the ships took two years, but these plans were scrapped after the revolutionary dreadnought concept rendered the Brazilian design obsolete. Two dreadnoughts were instead ordered from the United Kingdom, making Brazil the third country to have ships of this type under construction, before traditional powers like Germany, France, or Russia. As such, the ships created much uncertainty among the major countries in the world, many of whom incorrectly speculated the ships were actually destined for a rival nation. Similarly, they also caused much consternation in Argentina and, consequently, Chile. Soon after their delivery in 1910, both ''Minas Geraes'' and ''São Paulo'' were embroiled in the
Revolt of the Lash The Revolt of the Lash ( pt, Revolta da Chibata, link=no) was a naval mutiny in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in late November 1910. It was the direct result of the use of whips ("lashes") by white naval officers when punishing Afro-Brazilian and mixe ...
(''Revolta da Chibata''), in which the crews of four Brazilian ships demanded the abolition of corporal punishment in the navy. The mutineers surrendered after four days, when a bill was passed granting amnesty to all those involved. In 1922, the two battleships were used to help put down a revolt at
Fort Copacabana Fort Copacabana ( pt, Forte de Copacabana, ) is a military base at the south end of the beach that defines the district of Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro. The base is open to the public and contains the ''Museu Histórico do Exército'' (Army Historic ...
. Two years later, lieutenants on ''São Paulo'' mutinied but found little support from other military units, so they sailed to Montevideo,
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, and obtained
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. ''Minas Geraes'' was modernized in the 1930s, but both battleships were too old to participate actively in the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, and instead were employed as harbor defense ships in Salvador and
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. ''São Paulo'' was sold in 1951 to a British shipbreaker, but was lost in a storm north of the
Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
while being towed to its final destination. ''Minas Geraes'' was sold to an Italian scrapper in 1953 and towed to
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the following year.


Background

Brazil's navy fell into obsolescence after an 1889 revolution, which deposed
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Dom Pedro II, and an 1893 civil war.Topliss, "The Brazilian Dreadnoughts," 240.Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 32.Martins, "Colossos do mares," 75. Meanwhile, an Argentine–Chilean dispute over the boundary of
Patagonia Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and g ...
and control of the
Beagle Channel Beagle Channel (; Yahgan: ''Onašaga'') is a strait in the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago, on the extreme southern tip of South America between Chile and Argentina. The channel separates the larger main island of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego f ...
kindled a naval arms race between the two beginning in the late 1880s and lasting until 1902. Restrictions were placed on the navies of both countries and major vessels under construction in both navies were sold as part of the British-mediated three pacts which ended the dispute, but both countries retained the numerous vessels built in the interim. As such, by the turn of the 20th century the Brazilian Navy lagged far behind the Chilean and Argentine navies in quality and total tonnage, despite Brazil having nearly three times the population of Argentina and almost five times the population of Chile.Scheina, "Brazil," 403. Soaring demand for
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and
rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Thailand, Malaysia, an ...
brought Brazil an influx of revenue in the early 1900s. Simultaneously, there was a drive on the part of prominent Brazilians, most notably the
Baron of Rio Branco Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knigh ...
, to have the country recognized as an international power.Scheina, ''Naval History'', 80. A large naval acquisition program was drawn up and passed by the
National Congress of Brazil The National Congress of Brazil ( pt, Congresso Nacional do Brasil) is the legislative body of Brazil's federal government. Unlike the state legislative assemblies and municipal chambers, the Congress is bicameral, composed of the Federal Sen ...
in October 1904 in accordance with their belief that a powerful navy would be crucial to the achievement of this goal, but it was two years before any ships were ordered. Two factions argued over the types of ships to be ordered. One favored a navy centered on a small number of large warships, while the other preferred a larger navy of smaller warships. The latter originally prevailed with a bill authorizing the construction of three small battleships, three
armored cruiser The armored cruiser was a type of warship of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was designed like other types of cruisers to operate as a long-range, independent warship, capable of defeating any ship apart from a battleship and fast eno ...
s, six destroyers, twelve
torpedo boat A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval ship designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs were steam-powered craft dedicated to ramming enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes. Later evolutions launched variants of ...
s, three submarines, and two
river monitor River monitors are military craft designed to patrol rivers. They are normally the largest of all riverine warships in river flotillas, and mount the heaviest weapons. The name originated from the US Navy's , which made her first appearance in ...
s.English, ''Armed Forces'', 108. Though the Brazilian government later eliminated the armored cruisers for monetary reasons, the Minister of the Navy, Admiral
Júlio César de Noronha Júlio César de Noronha (26 January 1845 – 11 September 1923) was Brazil's Minister of the Navy from 1902 to 1906. Under his direction, the country ordered a slate of warships from the United Kingdom that included three battleships, three armo ...
, signed a contract with Armstrong Whitworth for three battleships on 23 July 1906. While the first designs for these ships were derived from the Norwegian coastal defense ship and the British (originally Chilean) , the contracted ships were to follow
Armstrong Whitworth Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. With headquarters in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth built armaments, ships, locomotives, automobiles and ...
's Design 439 (Design 188 in
Vickers Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public i ...
' files). They would displace 11,800 long tons (12,000 tonnes), have a speed of 19 knots (22 mph; 35 km/h), and be protected by belt armor of 9 inches (23 cm) and deck armor of 1.5 in (3.8 cm). Each ship would be armed with twelve 10-inch (25 cm) guns mounted in six twin turrets. These turrets would be mounted in a hexagonal configuration, similar to the later German s. Alarmed, the American ambassador to Brazil sent a cablegram to his Department of State in September 1906, warning them of the destabilization that would occur if the situation devolved into a full naval arms race. At the same time, the American government under
Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
tried using diplomatic means to coerce the Brazilians into canceling their ships, but the attempts were dismissed, with the Baron of Rio Branco remarking that caving to the American demands would render Brazil as powerless as suzerain Cuba. The
President of Brazil The president of Brazil ( pt, Presidente do Brasil), officially the president of the Federative Republic of Brazil ( pt, Presidente da República Federativa do Brasil) or simply the ''President of the Republic'', is the head of state and head o ...
, Afonso Pena, supported the naval acquisitions in an address to the National Congress of Brazil in November 1906, as in his opinion the ships were necessary to replace the antiquated and obsolete vessels of the current navy.


Bidding and construction

Design 439 was modified before these ships were
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 o ...
, increasing the displacement to and making them slightly longer and wider. Two of these ships were laid down by Armstrong at Elswick in
Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...
(''Minas Geraes'' and ''Rio de Janeiro''), while the other was
subcontract A subcontractor is an individual or (in many cases) a business that signs a contract to perform part or all of the obligations of another's contract. Put simply the role of a subcontractor is to execute the job they are hired by the contractor f ...
ed out to Vickers in Barrow (''São Paulo''). However, the new
dreadnought The dreadnought (alternatively spelled dreadnaught) was the predominant type of battleship in the early 20th century. The first of the kind, the Royal Navy's , had such an impact when launched in 1906 that similar battleships built after her ...
concept, which was showcased upon the completion of the namesake ship in December 1906, rendered the Brazilian ships obsolete.Topliss, "The Brazilian Dreadnoughts," 246. A transition to a few large warships was finalized with the selection of Rear Admiral Alexandrino Faria de Alencar for the powerful post of minister of the navy.Scheina, ''Naval History'', 81. The money authorized for naval expansion was redirected by de Alencar to building two dreadnoughts, with plans for a third dreadnought after the first was completed, two scout cruisers (which became the ''Bahia'' class), ten destroyers (the ''Pará'' class), and three submarines. The three battleships on which construction had just begun were demolished beginning on 7 January 1907. An entirely new design incorporating the latest dreadnought technology was drawn up by J.R. Perrett, the head of
Elswick Ordnance Company The Elswick Ordnance Company (sometimes referred to as Elswick Ordnance Works, but usually as "EOC") was a British armaments manufacturing company of the late 19th and early 20th century History Originally created in 1859 to separate William A ...
, and approved by the Brazilian government on 20 February 1907. Argentina and Chile immediately annulled the 1902 treaty that had ended their naval arms race, and both planned to expand their own navies, though Chile was delayed by a financial depression in 1907 and a major earthquake the next year. , the
lead ship The lead ship, name ship, or class leader is the first of a series or class of ships all constructed according to the same general design. The term is applicable to naval ships and large civilian vessels. Large ships are very complex and may ...
, was laid down by Armstrong on 17 April 1907, while its sister ship followed thirteen days later at Vickers. Construction of the partial hull needed to launch ''Minas Geraes'' was delayed by a four-month
strike Strike may refer to: People * Strike (surname) Physical confrontation or removal *Strike (attack), attack with an inanimate object or a part of the human body intended to cause harm *Airstrike, military strike by air forces on either a suspected ...
to 10 September 1908, and ''São Paulo'' followed on 19 April 1909.Scheina, ''Naval History'', 321.Scheina, "Brazil," 404.Topliss, "The Brazilian Dreadnoughts," 249."Minas Geraes I," ''Serviço de Documentação da Marinha – Histórico de Navios''."São Paulo I," ''Serviço de Documentação da Marinha – Histórico de Navios''. Both were christened in front of large crowds by the wife of Francisco Régis de Oliveira, the Brazilian ambassador to the United Kingdom.Launch Greatest Warships
" ''The New York Times'', 11 September 1908, 5.
After multiple
trials In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribun ...
of the speed, endurance, efficiency, and weaponry of the ship, ''Minas Geraes'' was completed and handed over to Brazil on 5 January 1910. ''São Paulo'' followed in July, after its own trials."Gun Trials of the Sao Paulo," ''The Times'', 4 June 1910, 9b. The third dreadnought, which would have been named and was provided for in the original contract, was laid down on 16 March, but as the ship had already been eclipsed by new naval technology (chiefly the advent of super-dreadnoughts, beginning with the British ), the Brazilian government canceled it on 7 May and asked Armstrong to prepare a new design. At this time, the dreadnought design had not been fully validated, despite the success of the British namesake;Scheina, ''Naval History'', 354. for example, there were still concerns that the ''Minas Geraes'' class' superfiring turret arrangement—which had not been utilized on the original ''Dreadnought'', but was also being installed on the American —would cause
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to hurt the crew in the lower turret."The New Brazilian Battleships," ''The Times'', 22 January 1910, 16f. Any immediate concerns, however, were mitigated during the firing tests when no ill effects were observed, though the ''Times'' (London) reported that there were still concerns registered during ''São Paulo''s gun trials in June 1910.


International reaction

The start of work on ''Minas Geraes'' meant that Brazil had become the third country—behind the United Kingdom and the United States but ahead of major powers such as Germany, France, Russia and Japan—to have a dreadnought under construction. The order for the dreadnoughts caused an immediate stir in the United States and Europe; in the words of the British '' Navy League Annual'', they "astonished the naval world". The American ''New York Times'' opened an article on ''Minas Geraes'' launch with "What on paper at least is the most powerful warship ever built for any navy ...", while ''
Scientific American ''Scientific American'', informally abbreviated ''SciAm'' or sometimes ''SA'', is an American popular science magazine. Many famous scientists, including Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla, have contributed articles to it. In print since 1845, it ...
'' called ''Minas Geraes'' "the last word in heavy battleship design and the ... most powerfully armed warship afloat." Some publications, like the American '' Advocate of Peace'', decried the dreadnought purchase for its cost, calling it "a showy and pretentious naval policy seemingly for the sheer indulgence of national pride" and continuing with "
inking Inking may refer to: *Inking (attack), act of throwing ink on other person *Inking, a defensive activity of certain cephalopods and sea hares * Inking (comic book production) *Pen computing Pen computing refers to any computer user-interface using ...
money into useless warships when, it is understood, foreign money has had to be borrowed for city improvements in Rio de Janeiro is pitiful politics." The British
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. T ...
debated purchasing the ships in March 1908 to bolster the Royal Navy while simultaneously ensuring they would not be sold to a foreign rival. The topic arose again in July and September, when Arthur Lee expressed his discomfort at the possible final dispositions of the Brazilian ships, as any sale had the potential to disrupt their "
Two-Power Standard The official history of the Royal Navy reached an important juncture in 1707, when the Act of Union merged the kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain, following a century of personal union between the two countries. ...
". '' International Marine Engineering'' analyzed the effect of a sale to Japan, stating that the total broadside weight of Japan's
line of battle The line of battle is a tactic in naval warfare in which a fleet of ships forms a line end to end. The first example of its use as a tactic is disputed—it has been variously claimed for dates ranging from 1502 to 1652. Line-of-battle tacti ...
would be increased by 31.6%, and the only ships capable of matching the ''Minas Geraes'' in the near future would be the American and German es. Newspapers and journals around the world speculated that Brazil was acting as a proxy for a naval power which would take possession of the two dreadnoughts soon after completion, as they did not believe that a previously insignificant geopolitical power would contract for such powerful armament. The evidence for a sale seemed strong, as Brazilian attempts to
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a multi-million-dollar loan against the value of their coffee crop in 1908 were unsuccessful.Topliss, "The Brazilian Dreadnoughts," 247. With three dreadnoughts planned (including the upcoming ), a Spanish naval journal stated "it was only natural that rumors ould beginto circulate supporting the argument that Brazil acted as an intermediary for some great power which would acquire them before they terminate their construction." Various British papers speculated that either the Germans, Japanese, or Americans were actually buying the ships, while naval experts in Germany thought the Americans, British, or Japanese were going to take them over. On the other side of the Atlantic, some American papers theorized that the ships would be sold to the United Kingdom, Germany, or Japan.Germany May Buy English Warships
" ''The New York Times'', 9 August 1908, C8.
The Brazilian government was forced to deny these spurious allegations several times. The ''New York Times'' remarked: Despite the speculation, the United States quickly began courting Brazil as an ally; caught up in the spirit, US naval journals began using terms like "Pan Americanism" and "Hemispheric Cooperation". In South America, the ships came as a rude shock and kindled a naval arms race among Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The 1902 treaty between the latter two was canceled upon the Brazilian dreadnought order so both could be free to build their own dreadnoughts. Argentina in particular was alarmed at the possible power of the ships. The
Minister of Foreign Affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between co ...
, Manuel Augusto Montes de Oca, remarked that either ''Minas Geraes'' or ''São Paulo'' could destroy the entire Argentine and Chilean fleets. While this may have been hyperbole, either one was much more powerful than any single vessel in the Argentinian fleet. As such, the Argentines quickly responded to the dreadnoughts with an order to the United States for two of their own, the , while Chile ordered two of the from the United Kingdom.


Ships


Service histories

After completion, both ''Minas Geraes'' and ''São Paulo'' sailed to other countries before arriving in Brazil. ''Minas Geraes'' left the Tyne on 5 February 1910 and traveled to Plymouth before beginning a voyage to the United States on 8 February. The ship was assigned to escort the American armored cruiser , carrying the body of the former
Brazilian ambassador to the United States The following is a list of ambassadors of Brazil, or other chiefs of mission, to the United States of America. The title given by the Ministry of External Relations of the Federative Republic of Brazil to this position is currently "Ambassador ...
Joaquim Nabuco, to Rio de Janeiro.Martins, "Colossos do mares," 76. They arrived in the city on 17 April 1910. ''São Paulo'' left Greenock on 16 September 1910,Whitley, ''Battleships'', 28. and stopped in Cherbourg, France, to embark the Brazilian President
Hermes da Fonseca Hermes Rodrigues da Fonseca (; 12 May 1855 – 9 September 1923) was a Brazilian field marshal and politician who served as the eighth President of Brazil between 1910 and 1914. He was a nephew of marshal Deodoro da Fonseca, the first president ...
. Departing on the 27th, ''São Paulo'' voyaged to Lisbon, Portugal, where Fonseca was a guest of Portugal's King Manuel II. Soon after they arrived, the 5 October 1910 revolution began.Keeping Good Order in New Republic
" ''The New York Times'', 8 October 1910, 1–2.
Although the President offered
political asylum The right of asylum (sometimes called right of political asylum; ) is an ancient juridical concept, under which people persecuted by their own rulers might be protected by another sovereign authority, like a second country or another ent ...
to the King and his family, the offer was refused.Ribeiro, "Os Dreadnoughts." There was a rumor that the King was on board and revolutionaries attempted to search the ship, but were denied permission. They also asked for Brazil to land marines "to help in the maintenance of order," but this request was also denied. ''São Paulo'' left Lisbon on 7 October for Rio de Janeiro, and docked there on 25 October.


Revolt of the Lash

Soon after ''São Paulo''s arrival, a major rebellion known as the Revolt of the Lash, or ''Revolta da Chibata'', broke out on four of the newest ships in the Brazilian Navy. The initial spark was provided on 16 November 1910 when
Afro-Brazilian Afro-Brazilians ( pt, afro-brasileiros; ) are Brazilians who have predominantly African ancestry (see " preto"). Most members of another group of people, multiracial Brazilians or ''pardos'', may also have a range of degree of African ancestry. ...
sailor Marcelino Rodrigues Menezes was brutally flogged 250 times for insubordination. Many Afro-Brazilian sailors were sons of former slaves, or were former slaves freed under the ''
Lei Áurea The (; from Portuguese: Golden Law), adopted on May 13, 1888, was the law that abolished slavery in Brazil. It was signed by Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil (1846–1921), an opponent of slavery, who acted as regent to Emperor Pedro ...
'' (abolition) but forced to enter the navy. They had been planning a revolt for some time, and Menezes became the catalyst. Further preparations were needed, so the rebellion was delayed until 22 November. The crewmen of ''Minas Geraes'', ''São Paulo'', the twelve-year-old , and the new quickly took their vessels with only a minimum of bloodshed: two officers on ''Minas Geraes'' and one each on ''São Paulo'' and ''Bahia'' were killed. The ships were well-supplied with foodstuffs, ammunition, and coal, and the only demand of mutineers—led by João Cândido Felisberto—was the abolition of "slavery as practiced by the Brazilian Navy". They objected to low pay, long hours, inadequate training for incompetent sailors, and punishments including ''bôlo'' (being struck on the hand with a
ferrule A ferrule (a corruption of Latin ' "small bracelet", under the influence of ' "iron") is any of a number of types of objects, generally used for fastening, joining, sealing, or reinforcement. They are often narrow circular rings made from me ...
) and the use of whips or lashes (''chibata''), which eventually became a symbol of the revolt. By the 23rd, the National Congress had begun discussing the possibility of a general
amnesty Amnesty (from the Ancient Greek ἀμνηστία, ''amnestia'', "forgetfulness, passing over") is defined as "A pardon extended by the government to a group or class of people, usually for a political offense; the act of a sovereign power offici ...
for the sailors. Senator Ruy Barbosa, long an opponent of slavery, lent a large amount of support, and the measure unanimously passed the
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on 24 November. The measure was then sent to the Chamber of Deputies. Humiliated by the revolt, naval officers and the president of Brazil were staunchly opposed to amnesty, so they quickly began planning to assault the rebel ships. The former believed such an action was necessary to restore the service's honor. Late on the 24th, the President ordered the naval officers to attack the mutineers. Officers crewed some smaller warships and the cruiser , ''Bahia''s sister ship with ten 4.7-inch guns. They planned to attack on the morning of the 25th, when the government expected the mutineers would return to
Guanabara Bay Guanabara Bay ( pt, Baía de Guanabara, ) is an oceanic bay located in Southeast Brazil in the state of Rio de Janeiro. On its western shore lie the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Duque de Caxias, and on its eastern shore the cities of Niterói a ...
. When they did not return and the amnesty measure neared passage in the Chamber of Deputies, the order was rescinded. After the bill passed 125–23 and the president signed it into law, the mutineers stood down on the 26th. During the revolt, the ships were noted by many observers to be well-handled, despite a previous belief that the Brazilian Navy was incapable of effectively operating the ships even before being split by a rebellion. João Cândido Felisberto ordered all liquor thrown overboard, and discipline on the ships was recognized as exemplary. The 4.7-inch guns were often used for shots over the city, but the 12-inch were not, which led to a suspicion among the naval officers that the rebels were incapable of using the weapons. Later research and interviews indicate that ''Minas Geraes'' guns were fully operational, and while ''São Paulo''s could not be turned after salt water contaminated the
hydraulic Hydraulics (from Greek: Υδραυλική) is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is the liquid counte ...
system, British engineers still on board the ship after the voyage from the United Kingdom were working on the problem. Still, historians have never ascertained how well the mutineers could handle the ships.Scheina, ''Latin America's Wars'', 73.


Later career

Three years after the mutiny, ''Minas Geraes'' was used to transport Brazilian
Minister of Foreign Affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between co ...
Lauro Müller Lauro Severiano Müller (8 November 1863 – 30 July 1926) was a Brazilian politician, diplomat, and military engineer. Responsible for the transition of Santa Catarina from a province to a state, he is also recognised as one of those who helped ...
to the United States."E Minas Geraes," ''Navios De Guerra Brasileiros''. The ship returned on 16 July and arrived in Rio de Janeiro on 16 August. In September both ''Minas Geraes'' and ''São Paulo'' participated in a major exercise with most of the Brazilian Navy. The need for more modern fire control system was identified as early as late 1913, but no action was taken."E São Paulo," ''Navios De Guerra Brasileiros''. When Brazil entered the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
in 1917, they were offered to the United Kingdom for service in the
Grand Fleet The Grand Fleet was the main battlefleet of the Royal Navy during the First World War. It was established in August 1914 and disbanded in April 1919. Its main base was Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands. History Formed in August 1914 from the F ...
, but the British declined due to the condition the ships were in. They had not been modernized since entering service, and maintenance had been neglected; to illustrate the problem, when Brazil sent ''São Paulo'' to the United States for a modernization in June 1918, fourteen of the eighteen
boiler A boiler is a closed vessel in which fluid (generally water) is heated. The fluid does not necessarily boil. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications, including water heating, centr ...
s that powered the ship failed. The ship only finished the voyage to New York with the assistance of the American battleship and cruiser . ''Minas Geraes'' followed after its sister's return, and the modernization was done between 1 September 1920 and 1 October 1921.Whitley, ''Battleships'', 26. ''São Paulo'' made two trips to Europe in 1920. The first conveyed King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth of
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to Brazil for the centennial celebrations. After ''São Paulo'' brought them home, the ship traveled to Portugal to take the bodies of the formerly-exiled Emperor Pedro II and his wife, Teresa Cristina, back to Brazil. In July 1922, both battleships helped to quash the first of the
Tenente revolts Tenentism ( pt, tenentismo) was a political philosophy of junior army officers ( pt, tenentes, , ''lieutenants'') who significantly contributed to the Brazilian Revolution of 1930. Background The first decades of the 20th century saw marked econ ...
(''Revolução Tenentista''), in which the garrison of Rio de Janeiro's
Fort Copacabana Fort Copacabana ( pt, Forte de Copacabana, ) is a military base at the south end of the beach that defines the district of Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro. The base is open to the public and contains the ''Museu Histórico do Exército'' (Army Historic ...
rebelled Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...
and began bombarding the city. ''São Paulo'' shelled the fort, and the rebels surrendered shortly thereafter; ''Minas Geraes'' did not fire its guns.Poggio, "Um encouraçado." In 1924, three lieutenants, including Hercolino Cascardo, took over ''São Paulo'' with other crewmen. They were unsuccessful in swaying any other ships to their cause, except for an old torpedo boat, and soon sailed out of the harbor after firing a six-pounder gun at ''Minas Geraes''. Short of food and with
condensers __NOTOC__ Condenser may refer to: Heat transfer * Condenser (heat transfer), a device or unit used to condense vapor into liquid. Specific types include: ** HVAC air coils ** Condenser (laboratory), a range of laboratory glassware used to remove ...
in poor condition, the rebels sailed to Montevideo, where they received asylum. ''Minas Geraes'' followed ''São Paulo'', arriving on 11 November and taking back possession of the ship. ''Minas Geraes'' was modernized at the Rio de Janeiro Naval Yard from June 1931 to 1938,Topliss, "The Brazilian Dreadnoughts," 289. while ''São Paulo'' led a naval force that
blockade A blockade is the act of actively preventing a country or region from receiving or sending out food, supplies, weapons, or communications, and sometimes people, by military force. A blockade differs from an embargo or sanction, which are leg ...
d Santos during the
Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932 The Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932 (sometimes also referred to as Paulista War or Brazilian Civil War) is the name given to the uprising of the population of the Brazilian state of São Paulo against the Brazilian Revolution of 1930 whe ...
. Though Brazil had also intended to modernize ''São Paulo'', its poor condition—she was only able to make instead of its designed speed of —made such action uneconomical.Whitley, ''Battleships'', 29. Soon after Brazil's entrance into the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
on 21 August 1942, ''São Paulo'' was moved to
Recife That it may shine on all ( Matthew 5:15) , image_map = Brazil Pernambuco Recife location map.svg , mapsize = 250px , map_caption = Location in the state of Pernambuco , pushpin_map = Brazil#South A ...
on 23 August to defend that port as a harbor defense ship; ''Minas Geraes'' played a similar role at Salvador. Even with the modernization, ''Minas Geraes'' was simply too old and vulnerable to actively participate in the war. Both ships were decommissioned after the war, ''São Paulo'' on 2 August 1947 and ''Minas Geraes'' on 31 December 1952. The former was sold to a British shipbreaker and was towed out of Rio de Janeiro on 20 September 1951. When north of the
Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
in a strong storm, the tow line snapped. Though multiple searches were mounted by American and British aircraft, the ship was never found. ''Minas Geraes'' was sold to an Italian company in 1953 and towed to
Genoa Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian census, the Province of ...
from 11 March 1954 to 22 April.


Specifications

The two ships of the ''Minas Geraes'' class were
overall Overalls, also called bib-and-brace overalls or dungarees, are a type of garment usually used as protective clothing when working. The garments are commonly referred to as a "pair of overalls" by analogy with "pair of trousers". Overalls were ...
, at the waterline, and
between perpendiculars Length between perpendiculars (often abbreviated as p/p, p.p., pp, LPP, LBP or Length BPP) is the length of a ship along the summer load line from the forward surface of the stem, or main bow perpendicular member, to the after surface of the ster ...
. They had a beam of , a mean
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 vesse ...
of , a maximum draft of , a
normal Normal(s) or The Normal(s) may refer to: Film and television * ''Normal'' (2003 film), starring Jessica Lange and Tom Wilkinson * ''Normal'' (2007 film), starring Carrie-Anne Moss, Kevin Zegers, Callum Keith Rennie, and Andrew Airlie * ''Norma ...
displacement of 18,976 long tons (19,281 t), and a displacement of 20,900 long tons (21,200 t) at
full load The displacement or displacement tonnage of a ship is its weight. As the term indicates, it is measured indirectly, using Archimedes' principle, by first calculating the volume of water displaced by the ship, then converting that value into wei ...
. At the beginning of their careers, the ships were crewed by about 900 men. ''Minas Geraes'' and ''São Paulo'' were originally armed with twelve 12-inch/45 caliber, twenty-two 4.7-inch/50 caliber, eighteen 3-pounders and eight 1-pounder naval guns. The
main battery A main battery is the primary weapon or group of weapons around which a warship is designed. As such, a main battery was historically a gun or group of guns, as in the broadsides of cannon on a ship of the line. Later, this came to be turreted ...
was arranged with four superfiring turrets, two each fore and aft, and two placed '' en echelon''. The 4.7-inch secondary guns were placed in casemates along the side of the ship. The propulsion of the two ships was provided by Vickers
vertical triple expansion A compound steam engine unit is a type of steam engine where steam is expanded in two or more stages. A typical arrangement for a compound engine is that the steam is first expanded in a high-pressure ''(HP)'' cylinder, then having given up h ...
engines instead of the steam turbines being used to power most contemporary dreadnoughts. Eighteen boilers provided power to the engines, which in turn rotated the two three-bladed propellers with 23,500
shaft horsepower Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are the ...
. Their designed top speed was , though this was frequently unattainable in their later careers owing to substandard maintenance and neglect. The ships could carry of coal and of oil, and their original endurance was when traveling at .Topliss, "The Brazilian Battleship," 250. During its trials, ''Minas Geraes'' was able to steam at .Earle, "Professional Notes," 306. The main armor belt was Krupp cemented and nine inches (230 mm) thick, but narrowed to six and three inches (150 and 76 mm) closer to each end of the ships. The
barbette Barbettes are several types of gun emplacement in terrestrial fortifications or on naval ships. In recent naval usage, a barbette is a protective circular armour support for a heavy gun turret. This evolved from earlier forms of gun protectio ...
s were protected by nine-inch armor, while the turret had a twelve-inch (300 mm) front, eight-inch (200 mm) sides, and a two- to three-inch (51 to 76 mm) top, and the conning tower had twelve-inch armor. The deck armor had multiple decks of one-and-a-half to two inches (38 to 51 mm), one inch (25 mm), and one inch.


Footnotes


Endnotes


References

*
Brazil
" ''Journal of the American Society of Naval Engineers'' 20, no. 3 (1909): 833–836. . . *
British-Brazilian Warships
" ''The Navy'' (Washington) 2, no. 1 (1908): 11–12. . * Campbell, John. ''Naval Weapons of World War II''. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1985. . . * Campbell, N.J.M. "Germany." In Gardiner and Gray, ''Conway's'', 134–189. *

" ''Navios De Guerra Brasileiros''. Last modified 7 June 2009. *

" ''Navios De Guerra Brasileiros''. Last modified 28 April 2009. * Earle, Ralph.
Professional Notes
" ''Proceedings'' 38, no. 1 (1912): 303–80. . * English, Adrian J. ''Armed Forces of Latin America''. London: Jane's Publishing Inc., 1984. . . * Gardiner, Robert and Randal Gray, eds. ''Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921''. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1985. . . * Livermore, Seward W. "Battleship Diplomacy in South America: 1905–1925." ''The Journal of Modern History'' 16, no. 1 (1944): 31–44. . . . * Martins, João Roberto, Filho.
Colossos do mares
olossuses of the Seas" ''Revista de História da Biblioteca Nacional'' 3, no. 27 (2007): 74–77. . . * Mead, Edwin D. "Reaction in South America." ''Advocate of Peace'' 70, no. 10 (1908): 238–241. . . *
Minas Geraes I
" ''Serviço de Documentação da Marinha – Histórico de Navios''. Diretoria do Patrimônio Histórico e Documentação da Marinha, Departamento de História Marítima. Accessed 27 January 2015. * Morgan, Zachary R. "The Revolt of the Lash, 1910." In ''Naval Mutinies of the Twentieth Century: An International Perspective'', edited by Christopher M. Bell and Bruce A. Elleman, 32–53. Portland, Oregon: Frank Cass Publishers, 2003. . . *
Office of Naval Intelligence The Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) is the military intelligence agency of the United States Navy. Established in 1882 primarily to advance the Navy's modernization efforts, it is the oldest member of the U.S. Intelligence Community and serve ...
(ONI)
''Information Concerning Some of the Principal Navies of the World; A Series of Tables Compiled to Answer Popular Inquiry''
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1912. . * Poggio, Guilherme.

Battleship against the Fort: Part 2" n.d. Poder Naval Online. Last modified 12 April 2009. * Preston, Antony. "Great Britain." In Gardiner and Gray, ''Conway's'', 1–104. * Ribeiro, Paulo de Oliveira.
Os Dreadnoughts da Marinha do Brasil: Minas Geraes e São Paulo
he Dreadnoughts of the Brazilian Navy: Minas Geraes and São Paulo" Poder Naval Online. Last modified 15 June 2009. *
São Paulo I
" ''Serviço de Documentação da Marinha – Histórico de Navios''. Diretoria do Patrimônio Histórico e Documentação da Marinha, Departamento de História Marítima. Accessed 27 January 2015. * Scheina, Robert L. "Argentina." In Gardiner and Gray, ''Conway's'', 400–403. * ———. "Brazil." In Gardiner and Gray, ''Conway's'', 403–407. * ———. ''Latin America: A Naval History 1810–1987''. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1987. . . * ———. ''Latin America's Wars''. Washington, D.C.: Brassey's, 2003. . . *
The Brazilian Battleship "Minas Geraes"
" ''Journal of the United States Artillery'' 33, no. 2 (1910): 179–188. . . * "The Brazilian Battleship "Minas Geraes"." ''Scientific American'' 102, no. 12 (1910): 240–241. . . *
The Brazilian Dreadnoughts
" ''International Marine Engineering'' 13, no. 8 (1908): 362–363. . . *
The Brazilian "Dreadnoughts"
" ''The Navy'' (Washington) 2, no. 6 (1908): 13–14. . *
The Reported Purchase of Dreadnoughts
" ''The Navy'' (Washington) 2, no. 7 (1908): 39. . * Topliss, David. "The Brazilian Dreadnoughts, 1904–1914." ''Warship International'' 25, no. 3 (1988), 240–289. . . * Vanterpool, Alan. "The Riachuleo." ''Warship International'' 6, no. 2 (1969): 140–141. * Whitley, M.J. ''Battleships of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia''. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1998. . .


External links


British diplomatic documents
relating to the dreadnought race (FO 508/8
Adam Matthew
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''Minas Geraes''
on Flickr (LOC) {{DEFAULTSORT:Minas Geraes Class Battleship Battleship classes Battleships of the United Kingdom