LagosD - Probable Gunboat Faro
Summarized translation of article published in Revista de Marinha together with Augusto Salgado.
Fraga, Tiago Miguel. A Canhoneira Faro (1912). Revista da Marinha, v. 965, p. 71-71, 20 Jan. 2012.
Our thanks to Luís Sebastião (Blue Edge Systems, Instituto Superior Técnico), Virgílio Rodrigues (VRFotografia) and Augusto Salgado (Centro de Investigação - Marinha Portuguesa) for their sponsorship.
Fraga, Tiago Miguel. A Canhoneira Faro (1912). Revista da Marinha, v. 965, p. 71-71, 20 Jan. 2012.
Our thanks to Luís Sebastião (Blue Edge Systems, Instituto Superior Técnico), Virgílio Rodrigues (VRFotografia) and Augusto Salgado (Centro de Investigação - Marinha Portuguesa) for their sponsorship.
The shipyard
The Faro Canonheira was constructed by Thames Iron Works Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, one of the major shipyards to operate on the River Thames in London. Initially known as the Ditchburn and Mare Shipbuilding company, it became famous for building one of the first iron warships HMS Recruit, a 12-gun Brig. In 1863, became renowned for designing the HMS Warrior, the first iron-hulled frigate (Lambert, 2007). This worldwide recognition made it one of the largest builders of naval ships for other navies contracted by Denmark, Spain, Greece and Portugal. Before the Gunboat Faro, they build for Portugal, for example in 1875 the Mindello Corvette and the Corvette Queen of Portugal and in 1876 the Corvette Vasco da Gama.
The gunboat Faro was acquired along with the gunboat Tagus and Guadiana gunboat, the three iron hull, all designed by George c. Mackrow (1830-1907), a naval engineer with 38 years of experience in shipbuilding. This, Ditchburn's apprentice, one of the founders of the company, was part of the team that designed the Royal yacht Fairy, one of the first yachts with propeller propulsion, of the team that designed the HMS Warrior, and, in 1864, he became a member of the Institute of Naval Architects. At the time of construction of the gunboat Faro was the head of the design Department of the Thames Iron Works (Obituary George E. Mackrow, 1907).
The gunboat Faro was acquired along with the gunboat Tagus and Guadiana gunboat, the three iron hull, all designed by George c. Mackrow (1830-1907), a naval engineer with 38 years of experience in shipbuilding. This, Ditchburn's apprentice, one of the founders of the company, was part of the team that designed the Royal yacht Fairy, one of the first yachts with propeller propulsion, of the team that designed the HMS Warrior, and, in 1864, he became a member of the Institute of Naval Architects. At the time of construction of the gunboat Faro was the head of the design Department of the Thames Iron Works (Obituary George E. Mackrow, 1907).
The ship
The Gunboat in service (Museu de Marinha)
The Canonheira Faro was 27 m long, 4.7 m wide and 136 tons displacement (Esparteiro, 1986c, p. 37). Propulsion was mixed, sail and steam, supplied by a 290 horsepower engine that allowed a top speed of around 10 knots.
Initially, like its counterparts the gunboat Faro was classified as a steamer. Delivered to the fleet in 1879, was initially in the service of the General Customs stationed in Vila Real de Santo António, Algarve. In 1880 changed its classification to Gunboat Faro (Esparteiro, 1986c, p. 37) and the rest of his career worked as a coastal patrol boat in Algarve coast with the exception of a second tour of duty in customs 1881-1883 (Esparteiro, 1986c, p. 38).
In 1885 is one of the 16 armed gunboats mixed in a universe effective 68 ships, with a crew between 27 and 48 men (Pereira, 2010, p. 382-383). Along with the gunboat Lagos, was part of the fleet responsible for the defense of Portugal's southern coast.
February 27, 1912, after making a diplomatic mission suffers a collision with the tug Josefina while returning to Portimao. The vessel sank in front of the Ribeira de Alvor. The crash killed two crew members of the tugboat and five of the gunboat, including the ship's captain, First Lieutenant Augusto Metzner (Esparteiro, 1986c, p. 42).
Initially, like its counterparts the gunboat Faro was classified as a steamer. Delivered to the fleet in 1879, was initially in the service of the General Customs stationed in Vila Real de Santo António, Algarve. In 1880 changed its classification to Gunboat Faro (Esparteiro, 1986c, p. 37) and the rest of his career worked as a coastal patrol boat in Algarve coast with the exception of a second tour of duty in customs 1881-1883 (Esparteiro, 1986c, p. 38).
In 1885 is one of the 16 armed gunboats mixed in a universe effective 68 ships, with a crew between 27 and 48 men (Pereira, 2010, p. 382-383). Along with the gunboat Lagos, was part of the fleet responsible for the defense of Portugal's southern coast.
February 27, 1912, after making a diplomatic mission suffers a collision with the tug Josefina while returning to Portimao. The vessel sank in front of the Ribeira de Alvor. The crash killed two crew members of the tugboat and five of the gunboat, including the ship's captain, First Lieutenant Augusto Metzner (Esparteiro, 1986c, p. 42).
The find
Archaeologist Tiago Fraga inspects the ships boiler
(Photo Virgílio Rodrigues - VRFotografia)
(Photo Virgílio Rodrigues - VRFotografia)
During PCASCL surveys was identified, among other vestiges, a wreck of a vessel steam iron construction with wooden components in the riverbank area of Alvor (Fraga and Martins, 2011).
Composed of a single core (MPGB07) at an average depth of 16 meters. The wreck was added to the list of project sites PCASCL with the case number 38. The ship was later dubbed "Steam Star" by one of the team members. In 2008, following several archaeological excavations at the site were able to identify the remains of the stern of the ship (along with the rudder and propeller), the central zone and the bottom of the keel (Fraga, 2008 p. 85-86).The remains are distributed in two distinct zones by an area of 792 square meters, oriented northeast and tilted to starboard. The zone is best conserved between amidships and aft, and amidships to starboard. Appears to have sunken bow and split in half for reasons yet unknown. The stern area has remained relatively intact adorning with deposition to port, the exception is a circular piece, probably the boiler that fell to the bow and to port. Towards starboard " a part of the hull collapsed allowing viewing the framing and plating.
Composed of a single core (MPGB07) at an average depth of 16 meters. The wreck was added to the list of project sites PCASCL with the case number 38. The ship was later dubbed "Steam Star" by one of the team members. In 2008, following several archaeological excavations at the site were able to identify the remains of the stern of the ship (along with the rudder and propeller), the central zone and the bottom of the keel (Fraga, 2008 p. 85-86).The remains are distributed in two distinct zones by an area of 792 square meters, oriented northeast and tilted to starboard. The zone is best conserved between amidships and aft, and amidships to starboard. Appears to have sunken bow and split in half for reasons yet unknown. The stern area has remained relatively intact adorning with deposition to port, the exception is a circular piece, probably the boiler that fell to the bow and to port. Towards starboard " a part of the hull collapsed allowing viewing the framing and plating.
LagosD - Probable Gunboat Faro?
Some ammunition present in wreck.
Photo: Christianne Kelkel
Photo: Christianne Kelkel
We believe that Lagos D is probably the wreck gunboat Faro the following correlations:
- The sinking corresponds to a steamer, the gunboat Faro was a vessel of sail and steam;
- The wreck is completely destroyed from the boiler towards the bow, Faro was rammed at the bow and suffered at least one explosion in the boiler (Occidente, 1912);
- The wreck has an estimated length of 26 meters and a width of 6 meters, Gunboat Faro was 27 meters long and 4.7 meters breadth;
- The wreck lies very close to the reported last known location of the Gunboat Faro and at the same reported depth;
- The same is devoid of noble materials and artifacts only remaining building material and hardware ships, consistent with the salvage operations that occurred by Navy divers ;
- Several high caliber ammunition are present in the site consistent with a military nature for the wreck.
- The sinking corresponds to a steamer, the gunboat Faro was a vessel of sail and steam;
- The wreck is completely destroyed from the boiler towards the bow, Faro was rammed at the bow and suffered at least one explosion in the boiler (Occidente, 1912);
- The wreck has an estimated length of 26 meters and a width of 6 meters, Gunboat Faro was 27 meters long and 4.7 meters breadth;
- The wreck lies very close to the reported last known location of the Gunboat Faro and at the same reported depth;
- The same is devoid of noble materials and artifacts only remaining building material and hardware ships, consistent with the salvage operations that occurred by Navy divers ;
- Several high caliber ammunition are present in the site consistent with a military nature for the wreck.
References
- Arquivo - Caixa 496 - Acessível em: Arquivo Central de Marinha
- ESPARTEIRO, A. M. (1986a). IX Parte/Canhoneiras/1.Volume. Lisboa, Ministério da Marinha. 159 p.
- ESPARTEIRO, A. M. (1986b). IX Parte/Canhoneiras/2.Volume. Lisboa, Ministério da Marinha. 124 p.
- ESPARTEIRO, A. M. (1986c). IX Parte/Canhoneiras/3.Volume. Lisboa, Ministério da Marinha. 272 p.
- FRAGA, T. M. (2008). Projecto de Carta Arqueologica do Concelho de Lagos 2007/8. Lagos, Câmara Municipal de Lagos: 101.
- FRAGA, T. M. (Prelo). Projecto de Carta Arqueologica do Concelho de Lagos. Congresso em Arqueologia Moderna: Novos e Velhos Mundos. Lisboa, Centro de História Além-Mar.
- FRAGA, T. M. and A. S. MARTINS (2011). LagosD Wreck. Nautical Archaeology Society Newsletter 11.
- GREEN, J. (2004). Maritime Archaeology: A Technical Handbook. London, Elsevier Press. 470 p.
- LAMBERT, A. (2007). HMS Warrior: The World's First Ironclad, Brassey's UK, Limited. 224 p.
- MACLEOD, I. D. (1989) - The application of Corrosion Science to the Management of Maritime Archaeological Sites. Bulletin of the Australian Institute for Maritime Archaeology 13(2): p. 7-16.
- Naufrágio da canhoneira Faro (1912). Occidente. Lisboa: 7.
- Obituary George E. Mackrow (1907). Engineer. Londres: 171.
- PEREIRA, J. A. R. (2010). Marinha Portuguesa: Nove Séculos de História. Lisboa, Comissão Cultural de Marinha. 643 p.