{"id":59277,"date":"2024-11-25T18:16:36","date_gmt":"2024-11-25T16:16:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naval-encyclopedia.com\/?page_id=59277"},"modified":"2024-11-25T18:16:36","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T16:16:36","slug":"the-imperial-brazilian-navy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dbodesign.com\/industrial-era\/the-imperial-brazilian-navy.php","title":{"rendered":"The Brazilian Imperial Navy"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Armada Imperial do Brasil 1822-1889<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

In the 1870s, Brazil was an Empire, and its Navy was the world’s fifth. For several decades led by notably by legendary Admiral Cochrane and others, and several wars, the Brazilian Navy helped secured independence and grew through the tumultuous 19th Century as the uncontested leading navy in the Americas. Its size went down in the 1880s when quality replaced quantity, with impressive ships like the Riachuelo class ironclads, that shook the US Congress into the creation of the “new navy”. In 2022 the Brazilian navy celebrated its centennial, and the long existence of the Armada Imperial do Brasil from the independence to 1889 is an important era for its foundation and traditions to this day.<\/p>\n

Introduction: The Imperial Navy<\/h2>\n

In the 19th century, the Brazilian Navy played a pivotal role in the nation’s political, economic, and military history, particularly as Brazil transitioned from a Portuguese colony to an independent empire and eventually into a republic. The first period was the Independence and Nation Formation in (1822\u20131830s), creating its own navy from the remnants of the Portuguese Royal Navy stationed there after the transfer of the Portuguese Court to Rio de Janeiro in 1808. When Brazil declared independence from Portugal in 1822, the Marinha became instrumental in securing the country’s coastline and suppressing pro-Portuguese uprisings in provinces like Bahia, Maranh\u00e3o, and Par\u00e1. It was also led by famous officers such Thomas Cochrane<\/strong>, instrumental in defeating Portuguese forces.<\/p>\n

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\nThe Pedro I ship that took part in the Brazilian War of Independence.<\/em><\/p>\n

During the consolidation of the Empire in the 1830s\u20131850s, the Navy was critical in maintaining territorial integrity, in the Regency Period (1831\u20131840) and internal conflicts such as the Cabanagem and Farroupilha Revolts. It also played a role in safeguarding the Empire’s vast coastline and shipping lanes against piracy and foreign threats.<\/p>\n

\"\" For what we are concerned, the Navy was modernize enough to face the Paraguayan War<\/strong> (1864\u20131870) as the Navy’s most significant engagement in the 19th century. The Brazilian Navy was pivotal in defeating Paraguayan forces on rivers like the Paraguay and Paran\u00e1, enabling advances into Paraguayan territory. <\/p>\n

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\nBrazilian Navy and Argentine Navy in the naval battle of Punta Colares.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Battle of Riachuelo<\/strong> (1865) remained a decisive naval engagement where the Brazilian fleet, under Admiral Francisco Manoel Barroso, secured control of critical waterways. It cemented its place dear to the core of today’s Marihna, an history well known by all sailors.
\nThere was later a phase of modernization and Growth from the 1870s to 1890, acquiring ironclads, steamships, and other advanced vessels from Europe, shifting from wooden sailing vessel to steam-powered iron-hulled warships.<\/p>\n


\nIronclad Brazil 1864<\/em><\/p>\n

The Republican Transition in 1889 saw the Navy supporting the proclamation of the Brazilian Republic in 1889, transitioning from its monarchic roots to a new republican government. Technological Shifts occurred even before the Paraguayan War but after it, the Marinha starting incorporating modern ironclads and turreted warships, following global trends and discard its last Sailing Frigates for Steam Corvettes and Gunboats to patrol rivers and coastal areas as well as a high seas battle fleet with the Ironclads already deployed during the Paraguayan War, and those after, such as the 1883-85 Riachuleo and Aquidaban which prompted the United States to enquire about its naval relevance after the gradual declined of the “old navy”.<\/p>\n


\nTraining of the fleet in 1870<\/em><\/p>\n

Naval Brazilian Bases were established in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Pernambuco, commanding key points on the coastline and covering its strategic needs.
\nBrazil however faced challenges of manpower, struggling with recruitment and training, and for a while, relying heavily on foreign officers and sailors, particularly from Britain. The other issue was political instability with Frequent civil wars and political upheavals which hindered consistent investment and reforms. And there was the question of Budget Constraints as the Navy often competed with the Army for funding, especially during economic downturns.
\nThis was, in a nutshell, the essentials of the Brazilian Imperial Navy.<\/p>\n

The Imperial Brazilian Navy or Brazilian Portuguese: Armada Nacional, “Armada Imperial” in that era, was created at the time of the independence of the Empire of Brazil from the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves, in existence from 1822 and 1889 as there was a vacancy in the constitutional monarchy. However, ships, staff, organizations and doctrines were transferred from the Portuguese Royal Family in 1808. Some members were also native-born Brazilians and others were Portuguese which adhered to the cause of separation, as well as German and Irish mercenaries. Under Emperor Pedro II this Navy was greatly expanded and became certainly the most powerful in the Americas.<\/p>\n

The core was created in 1822 to fight and to expel Portuguese troops dispersed by the territory. The transfer of the Portuguese monarchy to Brazil in 1808 in the Napoleonic wars went with the structure, personnel and ships of the Portuguese Navy which ended as the core of the Imperial Navy. Establishments previously created by King John were incorporated, as well as the Department of Navy, Headquarters, Intendancy, Accounting Department, Arsenal and Shipyards, Academy of Navy Guards, Naval Hospital, Auditorship, Supreme Military Council, powder plant among others. The initial contingent was formed by Brazilians, Portuguese joining the independence and foreign mercenaries, led by Brazilian-born Captain Lu\u00eds da Cunha Moreira as first minister of the Navy from 28 October.<\/p>\n

Under Articles 102 and 148 of the Constitution, they were subordonated to the emperor as CIC, aided by ministers of the War and Navy with the PM (prime minister) exercising oversight in practice. The ministers of War and Navy were civilians, on a base inspired by the British parliamentary or Anglo-American system in that the Armed Forces observed “unrestricted obedience” to the civilian government while maintaining distance from political decisions, something very modern and somewhat unusual for South America.
\nThe first role of the Brazilian Impreial Navu was to protect the long Atlantic coastline against foreign attack. Military personnel were still allowed to run for and serve in political office while remaining on active duty however, but they did that at a purely private level, not representing the Army or the Navy, and expected instead to serve the interests of the city and province that elected them.<\/p>\n

First Era (1822\u20131831)<\/h3>\n

British naval officer Lord Thomas Alexander Cochrane (a super-celebrity of the time, maverick and outcast of the RN, inspiring late many fictions) became commander of the Navy as “First Admiral”. The fleet at the time had a single ship of the line, four frigates, and smaller ships, 38 in all. The Secretary of Treasury Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada created a national subscription in order to mobilize capital to increase it, with popular contributions from all over Brazil. Even Emperor Pedro I acquired a merchant brig at his own expense, renamed “Caboclo”, donated to the State. The navy patrolled the north and south coasts, where it had initiually a decisive role in the independence.<\/p>\n

After the suppression of the revolt in Pernambuco<\/strong> in 1824 and prior to the Cisplatine War<\/strong>, the Imperial navy increased in size and strength to reach 96 modern warships of various types, representing over 690 cannons at sea. The Navy blocked the estuary of the R\u00edo de la Plata and blockaded the United Provinces of the R\u00edo de la Plata (ie Argentina) cutting off Cisplatine rebels. Several minir naval battles occurred between Brazilian and Argentines, until the defeat of an Argentine flotilla of two corvettes, five brigs and one barque near the Island of Santiago in 1827 (Battle of Santiago). When Pedro I abdicated in 1831, he left a powerful navy with two ships of the line; ten frigates and many corvettes, steamships, and sailing vessels for total of at least 80 warships in peacetime.<\/p>\n

War of the Independence<\/h3>\n

The action of the navy was essential during the war of independence to prevent the arrival of new Portuguese troops. Both sides saw Portuguese warships spread across the country, in poor condition for many, as instruments for the insurgents for military victory. By early 1822, the Portuguese navy controlled a ship of the line, two frigates, four corvettes, two brigs, and four warships all in Brazilian waters. But they were mostly in disrepair. Their hulls were basically abandoned in Brazil and were rotten, of little value. The Brazilian agent in London, Felisberto Caldeira Brant, Marquis of Barbacena was ordered to acquire warships fully equipped, manned on credit. No vendor was willing to take the risks however, so there was an initial public offering, with the new Emperor personally signing for 350 of them, inspiring others to do the same. The new government rose enough funds to purchase a fleet.
\nArranging crews was another issues as there were not that many former officers and Portuguese sailors volunteering to serve and swearing loyalty to this new Navy, with financing already not secured. This loyalty was under suspicion fro the start. So the government, at great expanse, found a solution by hiring British and other foreign officers to fill out the ranks.
\nThomas Cochrane led this international patchwork and could not prevent sabotages by Portuguese-born men in the naval crews. In 1823 there was an epuration and reform in which all Portuguese members were replaced by native-born Brazilians and ranks completed by freed slaves, pardoned prisoners plus British and American mercenaries. The navy cleared the coast of Portuguese presence, isolating the remaining Portuguese land troops. By the end of 1823, the last Portuguese ships were chased off across the Atlantic, nearly as far as the shores of Portugal.<\/p>\n

Cisplatine War<\/h3>\n

The Cisplatine War between Empire of Brazil and the United Provinces of the R\u00edo de la Plata (Future Argentina) erupted for the control of the territory of Uruguay. An indurgency led by Fructuoso Rivera and Juan Antonio Lavalleja, supported by the Argentinians, carried out a resistance against Brazilian rule 1825. A Congress of delegates from all over the Banda Oriental met in La Florida, declared independence from Brazil, while reaffirming its allegiance to the United Provinces of the R\u00edo de la Plata. Brazil declared war on the United Provinces and Brazilian Emperor Pedro I ordered his fleet to blockade the River Plate as well as Buenos Aires and Montevideo. The Argentine fleet moved south to Ensenada and then the Carmen de Patagones, Atlantic Ocean. The Brazilian fleet tried to take Carmen de Patagones in 1827 and tighten its blockade but Brazilian troops were repelled by local civilians. The Navy supported many smaller clashes including the naval Battles of Juncal and Monte Santiago.
\nIt came at a high cost for both sides and started to worry the United Kingdom, which imported a lot of goods, inclusing some vital for the RN at the time, so the latter pressed the two belligerent to engage in peace negotiations, in Rio de Janeiro. Under British and French mediation, both parties eventually signed the 1828 Treaty of Montevideo, acknowledging the independence of the Cisplatina as “Eastern Republic of Uruguay” (later Uruguay).<\/p>\n

Eastern Naval Division<\/h3>\n

The East Naval Division or Naval Division of the African Coast Divis\u00e3o Naval na Costa d’\u00c1frica\/Divis\u00e3o Naval do Leste) was established in 1827 in the Angolan province of Cabinda, occupying the ports of Ambriz, Cabinda and Molembo with the objective of providing Brazilian ships to enforce the 1815 treaty with British Empire about the slave trade. It was disbanded in 1830, mission accompished.<\/p>\n

Regency Era (1831\u20131840)<\/h3>\n

During the turbulent years of the regency, the Arsenal, Navy department, and Naval Jail were improved. The Imperial Mariner Corps made of volunteers was created. Steam navigation was generalized from 1831. The Navy fought a number of revolts of the regency, supporting landings and enforcing blockades at Cabanagem, Ragamuffin War, Sabinada, Balaiadaand others.
\nAs Emperor Pedro II reached legal age and assumed his constitutional prerogatives in 1840, the Imperial Navy was 90 warships strong with six modern frigates (The two ships of the line were in such sorry state they had been reduced to utility hulks), seven corvettes, two barque-schooners, six brigs, eight brig-schooners, 16 gunboats, 12 schooners, seven armed brigantine-schooners, six steam barques, three transport ships, two armed luggers, two cutters and thirteen larger boats.<\/p>\n

Second reign (1831\u20131889)<\/h3>\n

Pedro II eighted for 58 years, an all this time, the Brazilian Imperial Navy achieved its greatest strength, reching the top five most powerful navies in the world. It was superior even to the Portuguese Navy, the young US Navy, and comparable to the Spanish Armada, with the French and British Royal Navy still above. Several additional establishments were improved and created and the Navy obtained soon its first ironclad ships in the 1860s, then adopted the torpedo from 1870. Brazil modernized the fleet by acquiring ships from Britaina and France, but also constructed others locally thanks to pre-existing solid infrstructures left by the Portuguese and expanded, modernized. All old smoothbore cannons were replaced by rifled barrels, being recycled int fortifications. <\/p>\n

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\nPort of Humaita<\/em><\/p>\n

The Arsenals and naval bases were equipped with new workshops. Ships were now constructed in the Arsenal of the Navy in Rio de Janeiro, but also at Salvador, Recife, Santos, Niter\u00f3i and Pelotas. Its duties were still the same as before, mostly dealing with local revolts in the absence of a war.
\nThe State Secretary as well as the Accounting Department of the Navy, Headquarters of the Navy, Naval Academy were also reorganized and improved. The ports administrations were better equipped. The Imperial Mariner Corps was regularized, professionalized, with the Marine Corps created to replace the Naval Artillery. The Service of Assistance for Invalids was created and several technical schools for sailors and craftsmen.<\/p>\n

Platine War<\/h3>\n

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\nBattle of Punta Colares, 1865<\/em><\/p>\n

The Platine region started with anarchy caused by the despotic Rosas and his desire to subdue Bol\u00edvia, Uruguay and Paraguay. This forced Brazil to intervene in what became the Platine War. The Imperial Navy squadron arrived with 17 warships including a ship of the line, 10 corvettes and six steamships under veteran John Pascoe Grenfell. It went through the Argentine line of defence at Tonelero Pass under heavy fire, transporting troops and supporting their landing. The Imperial Navy mobilized its fleet of 59 vessels in 1851, notably 36 armed sailing ships, 10 armed steamships, seven unarmed sailing ships, six sailing transports whoch rotated until Victory was obtained. <\/p>\n

The Imperial Navy consolidated its supremacy in South America with a de facto hegemony from nothern Brazil ti the Rio de La Plata. The greatest strenght was reached in 1840 with 90 ships, but a gruaual modernization and retirement of older hulls led to a dip at 40 ships in 1864 but it bounced back to a top at 94 ships in 1870. However intense modernization across the board led to a new dip in 1889 at 60 ship. However this comprised modern ironclads and large, costier steam frigates.<\/p>\n

In 1864 the navy fought in the Uruguayan War<\/strong> and then the Paraguayan War<\/strong> repelling the Paraguayan Navy at the Battle of Riachuelo<\/strong>. Afterwards it gained no less than 20 ironclads and six riverine monitors. 9,177 navy personnel was involved in these five years. Brazilian naval constructors (Napole\u00e3o Level, Trajano de Carvalho and Jo\u00e3o C\u00e2ndido Brasil) planned new concepts enabling the Arsenals to retain a competitiveness of global level. Damaged ships were repaired and improveed along the way. In 1870, the Imperial Brazilian Navy with its 94 modern warships was without doubts the fifth most powerful in the world.<\/p>\n

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Paraguayan War<\/h3>\n

The navy took a primary role by blocking Paraguayan access to the Plata basin, preventing communications outside, and after the initial Paraguayan advance, the imperial navy sailed up the paran\u00e1 and Paraguay rivers to contained it under heavy gunfire. On 11 June 1865 the naval Battle of Riachuelo<\/strong> was a turning point. Under Admiral Francisco Manoel Barroso da Silva it destroyed the Paraguayan navy, preventing the latter from permanently occupying Argentine territory. <\/p>\n

The tactic used won the battle with little losses. The Paraguayan wooden ships were no match to the Brazilian ironclads, showing this costly modernaztion effort paid dividends. The war ended in favor of the Triple Alliance between Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay and gave control to the Brazilians of the R\u00edo de la Plata basin up to the entrance to Paraguay. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nNext was the Battle of Paso de Mercedes<\/strong> enabling the allies through the River Parana. From 1866 several local victories, like the capture of the Paraguayan battery at Curupayti and of Curuzu by the ironclads, Bahia, Barroso, Lima Barros, Rio de Janeiro and Brasil secured progress in the campaign. However Rio de Janeiro hit two mines and sank with commander Am\u00e9rico Bras\u00edlio Silvado and 50 sailors. “Rio de Janeiro” was sunk by a “torpedo”, of such types also used in the recent US civil wars on rivers. This the only ironclad sunk during the war. Still, the Imperial Army land support in September enabling to take the fort.<\/p>\n

1868 saw a famous riverine warfare operation by the same six Brazilian ironclads, dashing past under the guns of the Fortress of Humait\u00e1 on the Paraguay River. Neutral observers considered this feat nearly impossible. This was to stop the Paraguayans resupplying the fortress by river and this was a brillant coup after 4 years of an exhaustive war. This was done on 19 February 1868, restoring the reputation of the Brazilian navy and the Empire. The capital Asunci\u00f3n was thus evacuated. Some authors considered it the true turning point of the war. The fortress was captured on 25 July.<\/p>\n

Modernization and Latter Years (1870-89)<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nDuring the 1870s, the Brazilian Government strengthened the navy due to a possible war with Argentina over the Paraguayan question. A modern gunboat and corvettes were acquired in 1873, then an ironclad and a monitor in 1874, two cruisers and another monitor in 1875 and this effort went on in the 1880s. Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Pernambuco, Par\u00e1 and Mato Grosso provided dozens of smaller warships and the modernization was topped by the purchase of four torpedo boats.<\/p>\n

On 30 November 1883, the Practical School of Torpedoes was created with a workshop devoted to bui, maintain and repair torpedoes in the Arsenal of Rio de Janeiro. This was the first in the Americas. There four steam gunboats and one schooner with iron and steel hulls built there as well, the first constructed in Brazil. The Imperial Armada then gained a crucial asset or rather a pair of these, with the acquisition of the ironclads Riachuelo and Aquidab\u00e3<\/a> both with torpedo launchers in 1884 and 1885, rausing concerns in the US congress, in additon to Argentina. Both camed from Britain, and considered state-of-the-art by experts from Europe. Thuis enabled the Imperial Brazilian Navy to retain its position. <\/p>\n

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By 1889, the navy had “only” 60 warships, but with the quality over quantity gap, it was still the 5th or 6th most powerful in the world still, even compared to Italy, Spain, Germany or Russia. In fact when launched in 1885, Aquidab\u00e3 was considered one of the most powerful warships in the world.
\nIn the last cabinet of the monarchic regime, Minister of the Navy Admiral Jos\u00e9 da Costa Azevedo, Baron of Lad\u00e1rio, left this reorganization and modernization process unfinished. The coup that ended the monarchy in 1889 was not well accepted by the Navy which remained loyal to the former regime. Imperial Mariners were attacked when they trying to support the imprisoned Emperor in the City Palace. The Marquis of Tamandar\u00e9 begged Pedro II to allow him to fight back the coup but the Emperor refused to prevent a bloodbath. <\/p>\n

Tamandar\u00e9 was later imprisoned by order of Floriano Peixoto. The Baron of Lad\u00e1rio remained in contact with the exiled Imperial Family hoping to restore the monarchy, and was ostracized by the new republican government. Admiral Saldanha da Gama led the Revolt of the Armada als to restore the Empire, rallying other monarchists in the Federalist Revolution. All attempts at restoration were crushed. High-ranking Naval Monarchist officers were imprisoned, banished or executed by firing squad as their subordinates in a mass epuration of the Naval staff.<\/p>\n

This change of regime contributed to a new arms rivalty, with long-held suspicion of disloyalty from the Navy despite the epuration of its corps. This led also to a distrust and disaffection from the general public, and ultimately lack of budhets, casting a long shadow over an arguably shining era of the Brazilian Navy, one of the largest in the world.
\nThe Navy would bounced again however in parallel to a rapid rearmament and rivalry of Chile and Argentina. With the acquisition of the Rio de Jaineiro class dreadnoughts, built soon after HMS Dreadnought herself, led to a new naval arms race, dominated once more b Brazil, see the Brazilian Navy in WWI<\/a> for more.<\/p>\n

Summary<\/h3>\n

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Until the Paraguaian War (1830-1864)<\/h4>\n