700-73 MARQUES DEL DUERO SPANISH GUNBOAT

Marques del Duero was a Spanish gunboat (avizem), under which the keel was laid in 1875, launched in May of the same year, and entry into service took place in 1875 or 1876. The vessel was about 48 meters long with a width of about 7.2 meters. The displacement did not exceed 500 tons and the maximum speed was up to 10 knots. The ship's armament consisted of a single 160 mm gun, 2 120 mm guns and a single machine gun. The Marques del Duero was one of the Fernando El Catolico gunboats and was commissioned by the Spanish authorities in Marseille. The unit was dedicated primarily to activities in the Mediterranean basin and coastal waters. It was assumed that the ships of the Fernando El Catolico type would carry out blocking and patrol tasks. Interestingly, however, already in 1876, the unit was sent to the Philippines and for many years thereafter it carried out patrol tasks and fought local pirates. Marques del Duero in 1898 took part in the Spanish-American War and took part in the Battle of the Bay of Manila. As a result of the damage sustained there, it was self-sunk by the crew. Interestingly, the vessel was able to be lifted from the bottom by the Americans, who incorporated it into the US Navy as the USS P-17, but already in 1900 the ship was sold for scrap.