Built on the La-Carraca Arsenal at Cadiz, Spain special built for the Spanish expedition led by Don Alejandro Malaspina.
08 April 1789 launched under the name DESCUBIERTA (Discovery).
Tonnage 360 tons, dim. 33.3 x 8.7 x 4.3m.
Armament 22 guns.
She was the flagship of a Spanish scientific and political expedition around the world; the aim was twofold, first to increase geographic and scientific knowledge, and second to visit the far-off possessions of Spain.
The other ship of the expedition was the La ATREVIDA under command of Don José Bustamente y Guerra.
30 July 1789 both ships sailed from Cadiz heading south to the Rio Plata, which they surveyed, before they headed south again, following the coast of Patagonia.
Made first a call at the Falkland Islands, at that time a territory of Spain before they rounded Cape Horn, making calls at various ports on the Chilean coast and Juan Fernández Islands.
At the end of March 1799 the two ships separated for the voyage to Mexico to rendezvous again there.
In Mexico, Malaspina received new orders, to proceed north to Alaska, to survey the coast from Mount St. Elias south to Nootka Sound, and find the North West passage around North America.
In June 1789 the Spanish commander at Nootka had arrested two British fur trader ships, precipitating the Nootka Sound crisis between Britain and Spain.
01 May 1791 the DESCUBIERTA and La ATREVIDA sailed from Acapulco, Mexico and at the end of June arrived at Yakutat Bay near Mount St. Elias and the now named Malaspina Glacier.
The two ships stayed in that area until 27 July doing exploration and survey work as far north as Hinchinbrook Island, before she again were heading south arriving 12 August at Nootka.
After conferring with the local Spanish commander and inhabitants of Nootka, Malaspina dispatched cutters for surveys of the surrounding islands.
Then the two ships sailed south arriving at Monterey, where she stayed for two weeks, then returned to Acapulco on 19 October 1791.
At Acapulco they took part in the fitting out of the two schooners SUTIL and MEXICANA for a voyage to Nootka.
1792 The two expedition ships set out from Acapulco on a westerly course via the Mariana Islands to the Philippines.
After a period of survey work in the Phil1ippines the two ships sailed to Macao, before he was heading south east, made a landing at Espiritu Santo. The two ships then sailed to the Dusky Sound in the South Island of New Zealand, where she arrived in February 1793, she did not enter the sound. Some exploration work was carried out in the Doubtful Sound.
From there the two ships headed north-west to Port Jackson (Sydney), Australia, where she arrived in March 1793.
Extensive astronomical, hydrographical work were carried out, and numerous specimens of flora, fauna and minerals were gathered.
11 April 1793 both ships sailed from Port Jackson with a north easterly course first to the Friendly Islands (Tonga), then course was set to Callao, Peru.
From Callao the two ships sailed homeward bound via Cape Horn, making a call at Montevideo before heading home.
21 September 1793 both ships arrived at Cadiz, after a voyage of more as four years in which half the crew on both ships was replaced, due to desertion, bad behaviour or illness.
After arrival at Cadiz the DESCUBIERTA was assigned to the navy forces at this place.
Then she was stationed at Montevideo making some voyages to the Falkland Islands between 1804 and 1806, to Peru between 1814 – 1815.
1816 returned to Cadiz to embark troops for Havana and Porto Bello.
With General Pablo Morillo and Admiral Laborde took part in many campaigns against the dissidents of Venezuela and Colombia between 1816 – 1819.
1820 Took part in the expedition of Laborde.
1821 Stationed at Cadiz.
1828 Decommissioned.
Source: Various web-sites http://cvc.cervantes.es/ACTCULT/museo_n ... ios_05.htm
Ships of the World by Lincoln N Paine.
Argentina SG2218ms