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Friday 30 September 2011

Peruvian monitor Atahualpa 1868-1910


The Atahualpa of Peru was originally ordered by the United States Navy by a contract dated 10 September 1862. Launhced 13 April 1864 by Alex Swift&Co. at Cincinnati, Ohio, USA was she 10 June 1865 completed. Her engines were made by the same yard. Due to the fact the Civil War ended, the United States Navy did not longer needed her and she was laid up in ordinary. In American service she was to be named Catawba as part of the Canonicus-class. Her new owners in 1868, Alex Swift&Co and Niles Works, decide to sell the ship 2 April to Peru. She left sailing the same year New Orleans; according to wikepedia early 1869.When Callao was attacked in 1880, she was lying in the dock. In 1881 her own crew sunk her to prevent capture by Chile. After being salvaged, she served as a hulk until being around 1910 stricken.

Speed in Peruvian service just a maximum of 6 knots although she was designed for 13 knots. Fitted out with 2 Ericsson engines with 320 hp. Armed with 2-15”Dahlgren guns and with a crew of 100 men. Dimensions 225 (over all) x 45’3”(maximum) x 13’3”and a draught of 11’6’> Displacement 2100 tons, 1034 tons old tonnage.

Sources
American Naval Fighting Ships
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Catawba_(1864)
J.GF. von Kronenfels. Das schwimmende Flottenmaterial der Seemachte. Eine kurzgfasste beschreibung der wichtigsten europaischen, amerikanischen uns asiatischen Kriegsschiffe der neueren und neuesten Zeit der neueren und neuesten Zeit.