Spanish corvette Tornado
Painting of CSS Alabama, sister ship of Tornado, on display at the US Navy's Naval Historical Center
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| History | |
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  Confederate States
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| Name: | CSS Texas |
| Launched: | 1863 |
| Commissioned: | 1865 |
| Fate: | Purchased by Chile for £75,000. |
 Chile
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| Owner: | Chilean Navy |
| Acquired: | February 1866 |
| Renamed: | Pampero |
| Fate: | Captured off Madeira by the Spanish frigate Gerona. |
.svg){kind=small}   Spain
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| Acquired: | 1870 |
| Commissioned: | 1870 |
| Decommissioned: | 1938 |
| Renamed: | Tornado |
| Captured: | 28 October 1873 |
| Fate: |
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| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 2,100 tons |
| Length: | 231 ft (70 m) |
| Beam: | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Propulsion: | Steam, sail |
| Speed: | 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) |
| Range: | 1,700 miles (2,700 km) |
| Armament: |
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Tornado was a bark-rigged screw steam corvette of the Spanish Navy, first launched at Clydebank, Scotland in 1863, as the Confederate raider CSS Texas. She is most famous for having captured the North American filibustering ship Virginius, which led to the "Virginius Affair", which afterwards led to the Spanish-American Crisis of 1873.
The ship was built as the Confederate raider CSS Texas, but was seized by the British government in 1863 and acquired in 1865. She was purchased by the Chilean government for £75,000, through Isaac Campbell & Co, in February 1866.
In early 1862, Lt. George T. Sinclair was sent to England, with orders to build a clipper propeller for cruising purposes, and to take command of her when she was ready for sea. His instructions were to confer with Commander Bulloch in Liverpool, as to the design of the vessel, and the building, fitting out and arming of her. Bulloch received orders to help Sinclair with funds and advice. He showed Sinclair the drawings and specifications for CSS Alabama, also the contract with Lairds, and they both decided to use these as a basis for the new cruiser.
What Sinclair did, was to arrange, with the help of the Confederate diplomat James M. Mason, for an issue of bonds, each equal to 25 bales of cotton, weight 12,500 lb (5,700 kg). Seven individuals took up these bonds, and were effectively the owners of this new vessel. The new cruiser was contracted by James and George Thomson of Glasgow, in October 1862. The same firm that was contracted to build an ironclad ram for Lt. North. Pampero was modeled on Alabama, even though she was somewhat larger.
Pampero was to be 231 feet (70 m) in length, 33 feet (10 m) in breadth, powered by both sail and steam. Bark rigged, she was equipped for cruising under canvas or steam, with telescopic funnels, and a raise-able screw. Similar, but larger engines to Alabama were placed below the waterline for protection. Her frame was iron, with a mixture of iron and wood for the planking. Her armament was to be three 8-inch (203 mm) pivot guns, and a broadside battery of four or more guns. The original contract called for Pampero to be ready for sea by July 1863, but the schedule could not be maintained. Guns and gun carriages were ordered, and Sinclair received £10,000 ($40,000) from Bulloch, and perhaps more. For his crew, Sinclair made arrangements for some men to come out from Baltimore. By the spring of 1863, Sinclair was becoming very concerned about Pampero, and feared that the British government would not permit the departure of any vessel suspected to be Confederate.
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Wikipedia