Turn of the Century
Immediately after the War of the Pacific, the Peruvian Navy acquired small transport vessels, including the Vilcanota (1884) and Peru (1885) aboard which featured the Naval Academy in 1888. The following year he acquired came cruise Lima, commanded to build secretly with a twin in Germany in 1880 but retained in Britain for the duration of the conflict. In subsequent years they joined the Navy the Iquitos, Chalaco, Santa Rosa and the Constitution transport and the recovery of the national maritime activity was also initiated.
The latter required a growing interest in improving safety conditions for navigation, which led to the 20 June 1903 Hydrographic Commission was created in order to rectify through astronomical observations "the geographical position of cities and points important, particularly those located on the Pacific coast and the region bathed by the rivers of the East ". That commission was the precedent of the current Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation.
With the advent of the government of Jose Pardo and Barreda, the winds began to change for the institution. There was an expressed desire for support for rescue from ostracism in which he found himself. In this work, he played an important role Finance Minister Augusto B. Leguia, who promoted the resurgence of the Navy.
Infected by the popular fervor that resulted in donations at the national level, the government Pardo managed to get a loan from abroad, in England, for a contract for the construction of the cruiser Admiral Grau and Colonel Bolognesi; whose expected arrival, it occurred in August 1907. With these two acquisitions, the basis for the revival of the current burst Marina. That same year the first issue of the Journal of the Navy, in order to provide a forum for discussion for the various issues related to maritime naval general and the particular.
In 1904 the Navy contracted with a French Naval Mission by Captain Paul frigate Marguerye to restructure the organization and operation of the Naval Academy, being quite positive results. During the first government of Leguia (1908-1912) French Naval Mission continued to work, increasing the number of its members. That's when another French officer, Lieutenant Joseph A. Theron, takes over the leadership of the Naval Academy, soon determining its transfer to land, initially established in the district of Bellavista. On the other hand, several officers were sent to pursue advanced studies in Argentina, USA, Spain, France and England.
This mission concentrated its efforts in the General Staff and the Naval Academy, producing some important changes in the organization and naval training. By this time, and with a marked influence of the naval mission was the acquisition in France of submersible by Lieutenant Palacios and Lt. Ferre, first ships of its kind in South America, and the destroyer Lieutenant Rodriguez, which would be the first Peruvian ship powered by steam turbines. Special mention must be made of the questionable and frustrated acquisition of armored cruiser Commander Aguirre, a ship whichw was obsolete at the time of purchase in 1911. It would not come to Peru after the Peruvian government's decision in 1914 that the payments would not be completed.
From 1910, within the framework of technological innovations, the Navy began radio activities, with satisfactory results, thus entering a new era as far as communications are concerned. In the organizational aspect, during the government of Guillermo Billinghurst (1912-1914), the General Command of the squadron was restructured. However, it is important to note that this recovery process was partially stopped during World War II. This coupled with the economic difficulties that still crossed the Peru prevented the purchase of new units that increase their naval power diminished. But despite this, one strived work was done as far as infrastructure and organization is concerned and one of the achievements was the transfer of the Naval Academy to new premises specifically built in the district of La Punta in Callao, so as the creation of the General Staff of the Navy.
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