View source for Pará-class monitor

{{Short description|Imperial Brazilian Navy's Pará-class of wooden-hulled ironclad monitors}}
{{good article}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=Brazilian monitor Alagoas.jpg
|Ship caption=A photo of ''Alagoas'', possibly in Rio de Janeiro in the 1890s
}}

{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''Pará'' class
|Builders=Arsenal de Marinha da Côrte, [[Rio de Janeiro]]
|Operators={{flagicon image|Bandeira do Cruzeiro.svg}} [[Imperial Brazilian Navy]]
|Class before= {{ship|Brazilian ironclad|Silvado||2}}
|Class after=[[Javary-class monitor (1875)|''Javary'' class]]
|Built range=1866–1868
|In service range=1867–1900
|In commission range=
|Total ships completed=6
|Total ships scrapped=6
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type=River [[monitor (warship)|monitor]]
|Ship displacement={{convert|500|t|LT|lk=out|sp=us}}
|Ship length={{convert|39|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|8.54|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft={{convert|1.51|-|1.54|m|ft|abbr=on}} (mean)
|Ship power={{convert|180|ihp|lk=in|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=2 shafts, 2 [[Marine steam engine|steam engines]], 2 [[boiler (steam generator)|boiler]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|8|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range= 
|Ship complement=8 officers and 35 men
|Ship armament=1 × 70- or 120-pdr Whitworth gun
|Ship armor=*[[Belt armor|Belt]]: {{convert|51|-|102|mm|in|abbr=on}}
*[[Gun turret]]: {{convert|76|-|152|mm|in|abbr=on}}
*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{convert|12.7|mm|in|abbr=on}}
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

The '''''Pará''-class monitors''' were a group of six wooden-hulled [[ironclad]] [[monitor (warship)|monitors]] named after Brazilian provinces and built in Brazil for the [[Imperial Brazilian Navy]] during the [[Paraguayan War]] in the late 1860s. The first three ships finished, {{ship|Brazilian monitor|Pará||2}}, {{ship|Brazilian monitor|Alagoas||2}} and {{ship|Brazilian monitor|Rio Grande||2}}, participated in the [[Passage of Humaitá]] in February 1868. Afterwards the remaining ships joined the first three and they all provided fire support for the army for the rest of the war. The ships were split between the newly formed Upper Uruguay ({{langx|pt|Alto Uruguai}}) and [[Mato Grosso]] [[Flotilla]]s after the war. ''Alagoas'' was transferred to [[Rio de Janeiro]] in the 1890s and participated in the [[Revolta da Armada|Fleet Revolt]] of 1893–94.

==Design and description==
The ''Pará''-class [[river monitor]]s were designed to meet the need of the Brazilian Navy for small, shallow-draft armored ships capable of withstanding heavy fire during the [[Paraguayan War]], which saw [[Argentina]] and Brazil allied against [[Paraguay]]. The two foreign-built river monitors already in service drew enough water that they could not operate on the shallower rivers in Paraguay. The monitor configuration was chosen as a turreted design did not have the same problems engaging enemy ships and fortifications as did the [[casemate ironclad]]s already in Brazilian service. The [[wikt:oblong|oblong]] [[gun turret]] sat on a circular platform that had a central pivot. It was rotated by four men via a system of gears; 2.25 minutes were required for a full 360° rotation.<ref name=g53/> A bronze [[Naval ram|ram]] was fitted to these ships as well. The hull was sheathed with [[Muntz metal]] to reduce [[biofouling]].<ref name=g53>Gratz, p. 153</ref>

The ships measured {{convert|39|m|ftin|sp=us}} [[length overall|long overall]], with a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|8.54|m|ftin|sp=us}}. They had a [[draft (ship)|draft]] between of {{convert|1.51|-|1.54|m|ftin|sp=us}} and displaced {{convert|500|t|LT|lk=out|sp=us}}.<ref name=g54/> With only {{convert|0.3|m|ftin|sp=us}} of [[freeboard (nautical)|freeboard]] they had to be towed between Rio de Janeiro and their area of operations.<ref name=g53/> Their crew numbered 43 officers and men.<ref name=g54>Gratz, p. 154</ref>

===Propulsion===
The ''Pará''-class ships had two direct-acting [[marine steam engine|steam engines]], each driving a single {{convert|1.3|m|ftin|sp=us|adj=on}} propeller. Their engines were powered by two tubular [[boiler (steam generator)|boiler]]s at a working pressure of {{convert|59|psi|kPa kg/cm2|0|abbr=on|lk=on}}. The engines produced a total of {{convert|180|ihp|lk=in}} which gave the monitors a maximum speed of {{convert|8|kn|lk=in}} in calm waters. The ships carried enough coal for one day's steaming.<ref>Gratz, pp. 154–156</ref>

===Armament===
The first three ships carried a single [[70-pounder Whitworth naval gun|70-pounder Whitworth]] [[rifled muzzle loader]] (RML) in their gun turret, but the last three ships substituted a [[120-pounder Whitworth naval gun|120-pounder Whitworth]] RML. The 70-pdr gun had a maximum elevation of 15°, but the larger gun's elevation was reduced because of its longer barrel. Both guns had a similar maximum range of {{convert|5540|m|yd|sp=us}}.<ref>Gratz, pp. 153–154</ref> The 70-pdr gun weighed {{convert|8582|lb|kg|1}} and fired a {{convert|5.5|in|mm|adj=on|sigfig=3}} shell that weighed {{convert|81|lb|kg|1}}. The {{convert|7|in|mm|adj=on|sigfig=3}} shell of the 120-pdr gun weighed {{convert|151|lb|kg|1}} while the gun itself weighed {{convert|16660|lb|kg|1}}.<ref>Holley, p. 34</ref> Most unusually the guns' Brazilian-designed iron [[gun carriage|carriage]] was designed to pivot vertically at the [[Muzzle (firearms)|muzzle]]; this was done to minimize the size of the [[Glossary of nautical terms (A-L)#G|gunport]] through which splinters and shells could enter.<ref>Gratz, p. 155</ref>

===Armor===
The hull of the ''Pará''-class ships was made from three layers of wood that alternated in orientation. It was {{convert|457|mm|in|sp=us|1}} thick and was capped with a {{convert|102|mm|in|sp=us|0|adj=on}} layer of [[Aspidosperma polyneuron|peroba hardwood]]. The ships had a complete [[wrought iron]] waterline [[Belt armor|belt]], {{convert|0.91|m|ft|sp=us|1}} high. It had a maximum thickness of 102&nbsp;millimeters amidships, decreasing to {{convert|76|mm|in|sp=us|0}} and {{convert|51|mm|in|sp=us|0}} at the ship's ends. The curved [[deck (ship)|deck]] was armored with {{convert|12.7|mm|in|sp=us|1}} of wrought iron.<ref name=g53/>

The gun turret was shaped like a [[rectangle]] with rounded corners. It was built much like the hull, but the front of the turret was protected by {{convert|152|mm|in|sp=us|0}} of armor, the sides by 102&nbsp;millimeters and the rear by 76&nbsp;millimeters. Its roof and the exposed portions of the platform it rested upon were protected by 12.7&nbsp;millimeters of armor. The armored [[pilothouse]] was positioned ahead of the turret.<ref name=g53/>

==Construction==
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Construction data
!scope="col"|Ship
!scope="col"|Builder
!scope="col"|[[Laid down]]
!scope="col"|[[Ceremonial ship launching|Launched]]
!scope="col"|Completed
!scope="col"|Fate
|-
|scope="row"|{{ship|Brazilian monitor|Pará||2}}
|rowspan=6|Arsenal de Marinha da Côrte, Rio de Janeiro
|rowspan=6 align=center|8 December 1866
|align=center|21 May 1867
|align=center|15 June 1867
|[[Ship decommissioning|Discarded]], 1884 at [[Ladário]]<ref name=g57/>
|-
|scope="row"|{{ship|Brazilian monitor|Rio Grande||2}}
|align=center|17 August 1867
|align=center|3 September 1867
|[[Ship breaking|Scrapped]], February 1907<ref name=g57/>
|-
|scope="row"|{{ship|Brazilian monitor|Alagoas||2}}
|align=center|29 October 1867
|align=center|November 1867
|Scrapped, 1900<ref name=g57/>
|-
|scope="row"|{{ship|Brazilian monitor|Piauí||2}}
|align=center|8 January 1868
|align=center|January 1868
|Scrapped, 1893<ref name=g57/>
|-
|scope="row"|{{ship|Brazilian monitor|Ceará||2}}
|align=center|22 March 1868
|align=center|April 1868
|Scrapped, 1884<ref name=g57/>
|-
|scope="row"|{{ship|Brazilian monitor|Santa Catharina||2}}
|align=center|5 May 1868
|align=center|June 1868
|Sank, 1882<ref name=g57/>
|}

==Service history==
[[File:Passagem de Humaitá.jpg|250px|left|A painting of the Passagem showing a ''Pará''-class monitor lashed to one of the bigger ironclads|thumb]]
The first three ships finished, ''Pará'', ''Alagoas'' and ''Rio Grande'', participated in the [[Passage of Humaitá]] on 19 February 1868. For the engagement the three river monitors were lashed to the larger ironclads in case any engines were disabled by the Paraguayan guns. {{ship|Brazilian ironclad|Barroso||2}} led with ''Rio Grande'', followed by {{ship|Brazilian monitor|Bahia||2}} with ''Alagoas'' and {{ship|Brazilian ironclad|Tamandaré||2}} with ''Pará''. Both ''Alagoas'', which had taken an estimated 200 hits, and ''Pará'' had to be beached after passing the fortress to prevent them from sinking. ''Alagoas'' was under repair at [[São José do Cerrito]] until mid-March, although ''Pará'' joined a [[Squadron (naval)|squadron]] to capture the town of [[Laureles, Ñeembucú|Laureles]] on 27 February. ''Rio Grande'' continued upstream with the other undamaged ships and they bombarded [[Asunción]] on 24 February with little effect. On 23 March ''Rio Grande'' and ''Barroso'' sank the Parguayan steamer ''Igurey'' and both ships were [[Boarding (attack)|boarded]] by Paraguayan soldiers on the evening of 9 July, although they managed to repel the boarders.<ref>Gratz, pp. 149–150, 157</ref>

For the rest of the war the river monitors bombarded Paraguayan positions and [[artillery batteries]] in support of the army, notably at Angostura, Timbó and along the [[Tebicuary River|Tebicuary]] and [[Manduvirá River]]s. After the war the ships were divided between the newly formed Upper Uruguay and Mato Grosso Flotillas. ''Alagoas'' was transferred to Rio de Janeiro in the 1890s and participated in the [[Revolta da Armada|Fleet Revolt]] of 1893–1894. The ships were disposed of during the last two decades of the 19th century, although ''Rio Grande'' was docked for reconstruction in 1899. The work was never completed and she was eventually scrapped in 1907.<ref name=g57>Gratz, p. 157</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of ironclads]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|30em}}

==References==
* {{cite journal|last1=Davis|first1=William H.|year=1977|title=Question 1/77|journal=Warship International|volume=XIV|issue=2|pages=161–172|issn=0043-0374}}
* {{cite book|title=Warship 1999–2000|editor=Preston, Antony|chapter=The Brazilian Imperial Navy Ironclads, 1865–1874|author=Gratz, George A.|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|year=1999|isbn=0-85177-724-4}}
* {{cite book|last=Holley|first=Alexander Lyman|title=A Treatise on Ordnance and Armor|url=https://archive.org/details/treatiseonordnan00hollrich|year=1865|publisher=D. Van Nostrand|location=New York}}

==External links==
* [http://www.naval.com.br/ngb/letras.htm Alphabetical listing of Brazilian warships] {{in lang|pt}}

{{Pará class ironclad}}
{{Brazilian ironclads}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Para-class monitor}}
[[Category:Ships built in Brazil]]
[[Category:Pará-class monitors| ]]
[[Category:Monitor classes]]
[[Category:Riverine warfare]]