Operational history Spanish battleship Pelayo

profile of pelayo appearance in 1890

pelayo spent years in spanish waters, showing flag in various naval reviews , exhibitions, notably in greece in 1891, @ genoa, italy, in 1892, , kiel, germany, in 1895.

she began reconstruction @ la seyne in 1897, , there when spanish–american war broke out in april 1898. rushed service old 16-and-12-centimetre (6.3 , 4.7 in) guns removed new 14-centimetre (5.5 in) guns not yet mounted, , entered service reserve squadron on 14 may 1898.

she remained in spanish waters month guard against united states navy raids against spanish coast. assigned 2nd squadron, commanded rear admiral manuel de cámara, steam philippines , defeat u.s. navy s asiatic squadron, had controlled philippine waters since defeating spanish squadron of rear admiral patricio montojo y pasaron in battle of manila bay.

cámara s squadron—consisting of pelayo, armored cruiser emperador carlos v, auxiliary cruisers patriota , rapido, destroyers audaz, osado, , prosepina, , transports buenos aires , panay—sortied cadiz on 16 june 1898, passing gibraltar on 17 june 1898. arrived @ port said, egypt, on 26 june 1898, , requested permission transship coal, egyptian government denied on 30 june 1898 out of concern egyptian neutrality. time cámara s squadron arrived @ suez on 5 july 1898, squadron of vice admiral pascual cervera y topete had been annihilated in battle of santiago de cuba, freeing u.s. navy s heavy forces blockade of santiago de cuba. fearful security of spanish coast, spanish ministry of marine recalled cámara s squadron on 7 july 1898, , pelayo returned spain, cámara s 2nd squadron dissolved on 25 july 1898. pelayo spent last month of war in spanish waters, , missed combat.

after war, resumed duty of showing flag, attending naval reviews in toulon, france, in 1901 , in lisbon, portugal, , vigo bay, spain, in 1904. spanish navy found difficult find role pelayo, had no similar ships operate. there thought of having operate spain s new dreadnoughts when began commission during world war era, old , slow compatible them. earned nickname solitario, meaning lonely one.

pelayo fired guns in anger once, when bombarded moroccan insurgents in 1909 during second rif war.

pelayo underwent major refit in 1910. in 1912, badly damaged in fonduko bay due navigational error. repaired, thereafter served training ship, including service in 1920 , 1921 gunnery training ship in training division. pelayo disarmed in 1923 , scrapped in 1925.