José Romero y Fernández de Landa

José Romero y Fernández de Landa (1735–1807), better known as Romero Landa[1] was a Spanish naval and army officer and the Spanish Navy's first official naval engineer and ship designer. He designed several two-and three-deck ships of the line in the late 18th and early 19th centuries which fought at the Battle of Cape St Vincent and the Battle of Trafalgar.

José Romero y Fernández de Landa
Born(1735-05-27)27 May 1735
Huelva
Died5 August 1807(1807-08-05) (aged 72)
Madrid
Other workNaval engineer

He is also notable as the writer of Reglamento de maderas necesarias para la fábrica de los baxeles del Rey (Rules for the wood necessary for building the King's ships), published in 1784,[1] and which specified the number and dimensions of the hulls, equipment, masts and rigging for ships of 100, 74, 64 and 34 guns.[1]

Life

On 27 May 1752 Romero Landa joined the Regimiento de Dragones de Edimburgo at Villa de Arcos, commanding a company. In 1754 he transferred to the navy, becoming an 'alférez de fragata' (ensign) and commanded the 5th Company of the 2nd Battalion of Marines at Ferrol.

Cover of the Reglamento de maderas necesarias para la fábrica de los baxeles del Rey by Romero Landa (1784)

On 1 November 1765 he started working at the shipyard at Guarnizo, under the ship designer Francisco Gautier. In October 1770, on the creation of the Cuerpo de Ingenieros de Marina, he was one of its few officials from the Cuerpo de Oficiales de Guerra to join the new body. Promoted to frigate captain, he was appointed Commandant of the Engineers and Engineer General, rising to Engineer General of the Fleet on 28 January 1786.

Warships designed by Romero Landa

112-gun ships
Plan of a Santa Ana class 112-gun ship
Launch date Name Alias/Advocacy Shipyard In service
28 September 1784 Santa Ana Santana Ferrol[2] 1784–1816[1]
20 January 1786 Mejicano San Hipólito Havana[3]
4 November 1786 Conde de Regla Nuestra Señora de Regla (Our Lady of Regla) Havana[3]
2 May 1787 Salvador del Mundo El Salvador Ferrol[2]
4 November 1787 Real Carlos Santiago Havana[3]
20 January 1789 San Hermenegildo Havana[3]
12 September 1791 Reina María Luisa Reina Luisa (Queen Louise) Ferrol[2]
28 January 1794 Príncipe de Asturias Los Santos Reyes (The Holy Kings) Havana[3] 1794–1812[1]

74-gun ships
Launch date Name Alias/Advocacy Shipyard In service
22 January 1785 San Ildefonso San Ildefonso, Segovia Cartagena[4] 1784–1805–1816[1]
20 June 1788 San Telmo Ferrol[2]
20 December 1788 San Francisco de Paula Cartagena[4]
19 October 1789 Europa San Lesmes Ferrol[2]
20 November 1790 Intrépido Ferrol[2]
9 December 1791 Conquistador Cartagena[4]
22 November 1792 Infante don Pelayo Havana[3]
1794 Monarca[1] Ferrol 1794–1805[1]

64-gun ships

The three 64-gun ships designed by Romero Landa were an extension of his 74-gun designs, changing its main dimensions on a scale of α=49,5/52.

Launch date Name Shipyard In service
3 November 1787 San Fulgencio Cartagena[4]
27 November 1787 San Leandro Ferrol[2] 1787–1812[1]
27 June 1788 San Pedro Alcántara Havana[3]

Frigates
Plan of a 34-gun frigate
Launch date Name Shipyard
12 March 1784 Santa Casilda Cartagena[4]
4 March 1786 Santa Florentina Cartagena[4]
3 May 1788 Nuestra Señora de la Soledad Cartagena[4]
2 October 1789 Mahonesa Mahón
31 July 1789 Perla Cartagena[4]
1791 Preciosa Cádiz

Battle of Trafalgar
Main article: Battle of Trafalgar

Five of the ships built to Romero Landa's design saw action at Trafalgar:[1]

References
  1. Fernández-González, Francisco (2012). "Ship structures under sail and under gunfire" (PDF). Universidad Politécnica de Madrid: Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Navales. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  2. armada15001900.net (ed.). "Listado de barcos de los Reales Astilleros de Esteiro" (PDF). Retrieved 28 July 2009.
  3. bpvillena.ohc.cu (ed.). "La Habana antigua y moderna. Capítulo X. Arsenal". Retrieved 28 July 2009.
  4. digitum.um.es (ed.). "Cartagena: El Arsenal Ilustrado del Mediterraneo español" (PDF). Retrieved 28 July 2009.

Bibliography
  • Juan-García Aguado, José María (1998). José Romero Fernández de Landa, un Ingeniero de Marina del Siglo XVIII. Universidade da Coruña. ISBN 84-89694-66-4
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