São Gabriel Class
The São Gabriel Class was a group of two protected cruisers that served in the Portuguese Navy. The two ships of the class, São Gabriel and the São Rafael, were known as the Angels (Portuguese: Anjos).

The names of the cruisers were inspired by Vasco Da Gama's twin command carracks (São Gabriel and São Rafael) that took part in the discovery of the sea route to India.

Background 
The ships were ordered from the French shipyards in Le Havre as part of the Portuguese Navy's refit program at the end of the 19th century. They were the first Portuguese ships that were installed with a wireless telegraphy communications system, which São Gabriel later tested on the 11th of December 1909, as she steamed away from Lisbon at 1530 in the afternoon and established telegraphic contact with the radiotelegraph post in Vale de Zebro.

Service 
As the 390th anniversary of Ferdinand Magellan's first circumnavigation voyage was approaching, it was decided that São Gabriel would be sent around the globe on a solo cruise to mark the special occasion. She left on the 11th of December, the same day she tested out her newly fitted wireless communication technology, and returned home on the 19th of April 1911, stopping at 72 ports and travelling approximately 42,000 nautical miles. São Gabriel became the first modern Portuguese ship to complete a circumnavigation voyage.

While São Gabriel circumnavigated the world, her sister ship, São Rafael took an active part in fighting for the Republicans in the 5 October 1910 Revolution by shelling the Terreiro do Paço and the Palácio das Necessidades. Later, while on patrol at the Ave River's mouth, she tore her bottom out on the rocks. Only one casualty was sustained amongst the crew.

Ships in class

References