Chilean cruiser Esmeralda (1896)

Esmeralda was developed as a custom design by naval architect Philip Watts for the Chilean Navy during the Argentine–Chilean naval arms race.

Background and design
This Esmeralda was purchased in part with US$1,500,000 in funds garnered from the sale of an earlier protected cruiser of the same name to Japan via Ecuador.

The idea for the design was based on the performance of Japanese firepower and speed in the Battle of the Yalu River.

The new ship was defined by historian Adrian J. English as "the first armored cruiser to be built for any navy," and the contemporary Naval Annual called it "one of the most powerful cruisers in the world." Another historian, Peter Brook, has written that Esmeralda should be classified as a lesser "belted" cruiser due to design faults present after its conversion from a protected cruiser while under construction.

Service
On 18 December 1907, the ship brought troops from Valparaíso to Iquique to repress thousands of miners from different nitrate mines in Chile's north who were appealing for government intervention to improve their living and working conditions. This later developed into the Santa María School massacre.

In 1910, it sailed with the frigate O’Higgins to the naval magazine of Argentina for its centenary.

In 1915, the Chilean Navy claimed that Esmeralda set speed and accuracy world records in big-gun shooting. For the latter, 100 out of 100 shots hit a target.

Esmeralda served in the Chilean Navy until 1930.