Their names are remembered in the four masts of the Juan Sebastián Elcano: Blanca, Almansa, Asturias and Nautilus, but not many know why. They were the predecessors of the current Spanish school ship in time, and together with the weeping and longing Galatea, they form the list of the "other Spanish school ships."

The White frigates and Villa de Madrid, in the naval combat of Abtao (Chile) on 7 February 1866 (Gr.Federico Castellón)

Princess of Asturias 1852

Fragata de Hélica built in the Arsenal de la Carraca of 2800 tons of displacement with a length of 69 meters armed with 43 cannons. Propulsed with a steam machine, it would reach 10 knots, and had a strength of 485 men. He had his first exit to the sea on November 1, 1859, and was destined for the Africa Operations Squad. In 1860 he planted the badge of the head of Escuadra Joaquín Gutiérrez de Rubalcava

Fragata Asturias Spanish Navy school in the 19th century.

In 1861 he was assigned to the apostate of Havana. He took part in the naval demonstration of Port-au-Prince, under the orders of Gutiérrez de Rubalcava. In the years 1861 and 1862 he participated in the Expedition against Mexico. During the term of office as Minister of Navy of the ContraAdmiral José María Beranguer Ruizof Apodaca, it was ordered that on board theAsturiasthe Naval School was set up in Ferrol, for which the propellant machinery and most of the artillery were dismounted, as well as its wood, while retaining its three masts, with some cock crossing them. Many other effects were removed, raising their dead work to obtain space for accommodation and dependencies, and reducing their displacement to only 1,576 tons.

The helmet was painted in black with two white stripes, although as a frigate it had only one to mark its battery. The "Asturias" Floating Naval School was opened on April 1, 1871 with a maximum of 100 candidates. In 1909, the Naval School was transferred back to San Fernando. His helmet was auctioned for wood on March 12, 1914.

White Queen 1859

The Queen White (also known as Blanca), a helix frigate of the Spanish Navy, with wooden helmet and mixed steam propulsion and candles, built in the Royal Esteira Shipyards in Ferrol with a displacement of 3800 tons and a weapons of 44 cannons. He was named after the White Queen of Navarra. It was ordered by the frigates Petronila and BerenguelaAugust 8, 1863.Since October 1859, under the command of the ship captain Manuel Sibila, he participated in coastal blockade and bombing operations during the African War.

In the years 1861 and 1862, he participated in the Expedition against Mexico along with forces from the United Kingdom and France, as part of the squadron commanded by General Joaquín Gutierrez de Rubalcava, general commander of the Apostolic of Havana. He also participated in the bombing of Valparaíso and the Callao Combat, in conjunction with the rest of the Pacific Squad. From 1874 to 1881, he served as a school ship for the formation of future officials of the Spanish Navy. It was discharged shortly after it ceased in the activity of a school ship.

Fragata Almansa ship Spanish Navy school in the 19th century.

Almansa 1864

Flagata of propeller with a displacement of 3900 tons and a length of 85 meters. Built in Ferrol, it was equipped with a 600-horse engine, and a 44-gun weapon, plus a couple of shells, 120-mm and 2-80-mm guns, to support landings. His crew was made up of 600 men in combat.

During the Spanish-American War, he was sent to strengthen the squadron of Admiral Méndez Núñez. He carried out the journey from Montevideo by sailing, by the Cabo of Furnaces and arrived on the stage of the war on April 9, 1866.

He entered El Callao on 2 May under the command of Victoriano Sánchez Barcaiztegui. After the fight was completed, and after making repairs from the San Lorenzo Island, along with the Villa de Madrid, Resolución y Blanca helix frigates, after doubling the Cape de Hornos and arrived in Rio de Janeiro where they remained until 1868, arriving in Spain in December of that year. In late 1888 and after his presence at the Universal Exhibition of Barcelona, he was released and became a school boat.

The Nautilus corbeta in 1886.

Nautilus 1886

It was an initiative by Fernando Villaamil, who advocated that the students of the Spanish navy receive part of their training on sailing ships and using traditional ways of sailing, and was commissioned in England to acquire a ship that had the appropriate characteristics to carry out the mission of a school ship, while also carrying out the work of obtaining supplies for the Navy and inspection in the construction of a new concept of a ship, the Destroyer. In 1886 the old cliper was bought for 60,000 pesetas, "Carrick Castle "built by the Jhon Elder workshops in 1866. The price paid for its purchase was lower than the cost of transport to Spain of the supplies purchased for the underwater defenses, which were transported in the "Carrick Castle ", so the operation was a savings. He was discharged from the Navy lists, and went on to serve as a school ship with the corbeta classification under the name ofNautilus.

Within the celebrations to commemorate the fourth centenary of the Discovery of America, the Ministry of the Navy sent the corbeta to take a sailing trip with the Navy Guardians. On November 30, 1892 the corbetaNautilusHe left Ferrol, with Villaamil in command to turn around the world, which he concluded in Ferrol on August 11, 1894, after going over 40,000 miles. On June 24, 1908, he visited Havana, being the first Spanish ship to visit Cuba after his independence, where he was received with samples of affection. He was replaced as a school ship by the Galatea and the Elcano, after which he remained a few years as a classroom by afloat. He was released in 1933 in La Graña (Ferrol).

Galatea, 1922

Built in the late 19th century in Glasgow, it was acquired by the Navy in 1922, remaining active until 1982. In his first life as a merchant ship, he had the names ofGlenlee,IslamountandClarastella. It is currently located in the Scottish town, where it was built.

He began his training trips in 1925, along with the Charles V and the old Nautilus corbeta, assigned to the formation of future Navy officers. In 1928 he was relieved by the new construction ship Juan Sebastián Elcano in the tasks of training the officers. After replacing the engines with other more powerful 800 horses assigned to the school of skilled marine apprentices as a maneuver ship.

The Galatea today in Glasgow (photo file of RTVE)

During the post-war period, the number of apprentices fell and the ship came to sail with only eight students as recorded in a part of operations in 1941. Since 1946 the number of students has grown again and the crossing of the Atlantic and the North Sea began. In 1946, sailing at the height of Azores a blush with winds of 175 km per hour, it was demolished. His last trip as a school ship was made on December 15, 1959, after which he was tied in the Arsenals of Ferrol,..., before a Navy that did not decide to order his dismantling before the strong citizen opposition, which wanted it to be preserved. His last years in our country, were first penossor by the expolio suffered in Ferrol.

After trying to be used in Expo92, a project that was left at nothing for its high cost,..., and the Galatea rotting in the waters of the Guadalquivir. At the end of 1992 it was acquired in public auction for 8 million pesetas by the Clyde Maritime Trust in Glasgow.