The corbeta (corvette) ARA Uruguay, moored at Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires, is historic ship of Argentine Navy with interesting and memorable history.
The corbeta ARA Uruguay, built in England, is the largest ship afloat of its age in the Armada de la República Argentina (Argentine Navy), with more than 135 years passed since its commissioning in September 1874. The last of the legendary squadron of President Sarmiento, the Uruguay took part in revolutions, ransoms, expeditions, rescues, and was even floating headquarters of the Navy School. During its operational history 1874–1926 the Uruguay was a gunboat, school ship, expedition support ship, Antarctic rescue ship, fisheries base supply ship, and hydrographic survey vessel, and is now a museum ship in Buenos Aires. This ship may be the oldest in South America having been built in 1874 at Laird Bros. (now Cammell Laird) shipyard of Birkenhead, England, at a cost of £ 32,000. This ship is rigged to a barque sailplan (three masts, two of which have cross spars). The ship's steel hull is lined in teak.
The ship's most notable action was carried out in 1901–1903 when the Uruguay supported and then later rescued the Swedish Antarctic Expedition led by Otto Nordenskiöld, their ship, the Antarctic, having been destroyed by ice. The rescue effort was led by Lieutenant Commander Julián Irízar who returned from his London diplomatic post of Naval Attache. A special crew of eight officers and nineteen men was selected based upon experience, courage, and ability to withstand the severe polar conditions. With all of the expedition members rescued successfully, the ship returned through a severe storm in a thoroughly battered condition, having been rolled up to 40 degrees and now partially dismasted. Arriving first at Puerto Santa Cruz, they telegraphed their success to headquarters. On December 2, 1903 they arrived at home port to a great rejoicing by the citizens of Buenos Aries, with all participants receiving a hero's welcome from one hundred thousand dockside greeters, to be followed by many days of receptions and parades.
Removed from naval service in 1962, the Uruguay was in 1967 declared a National Historic Landmark. Currently integrated since 1967 as a museum ship with the frigate ARA Presidente Sarmiento in the Museum of Sea and Navigation. It is moored at Puerto Madero in the city of Buenos Aires, in the dock area No. 3, a short distance from the Sarmiento.
History in dates:
- 1874–1887: Gunship and training ship
- 1887: Naval training headquarters ship
- 1878: Asserting Argentina's sovereignty claim to Patagonia
- 1884: First scientific expedition
- 1887-1903: Configured for expedition support
- 1903: Rebuilt for Antarctic rescue
- 1903: Rescue of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition
- 1904–1906 Support of Charcot expedition
- 1904–1922: Base support and hydrography
- 1926: Out of service - Uruguay become a floating ammunition dump
- 1954: Restoration for use as a naval museum ship
- 1967–present: Public museum ship and National historic monument of Argentina
[excerpted from Wikipedia]