### Fernando Villaamil, el marino español que inventó el destructor
Spain’s late 19th-century problems were exacerbated by the need to maintain its remaining empire (Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines). To do so, Spain required a modernized fleet but lacked the industrial and economic potential. The emerging naval power of the United States added further pressure.
### Un oficial perseverante
Born in the small parish of Serantes (Asturias), Fernando Villaamil (1845-1898) came from a non-military family but entered the Naval College of San Fernando at 16. He quickly rose through the ranks, accumulating experience and medals. By 1874, during the Bourbon Restoration, he was a respected officer with influence in the court.
### Una idea osada
The British engineer Robert Whitehead invented the first self-propelled torpedo in 1866. Whitehead’s invention led to the development of small torpedo boats and counter-torpedo boats. Villaamil envisioned a vessel that could both launch torpedoes and hunt other torpedo boats, with high speed and autonomy. This idea initially faced skepticism but found support when Manuel de la Pezuela became the Minister of the Navy in 1885.
### La construcción del Destructor
Two years later, in 1887, the Spanish destroyer was built at James & George Thompson’s shipyards in Scotland. The 58.74-meter-long vessel displaced 380 tons and was equipped with a 90 mm Hontoria cannon, several smaller cannons, and three Schwartzkopff torpedo tubes. Its four boilers and two sets of multiple-expansion engines gave it a speed of almost 23 knots, making it the fastest ship at that time.
### Desarrollo de la guerra naval
During the Cuban War (1895-1898), Villaamil commanded a destroyer squadron including the Terror, Furor, and Plutón. Despite advocating for the use of destroyers at sea, they were instead kept in the bay. On July 3, 1898, under the orders of Admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete, the squadron made a doomed attempt to escape from the bay, with the Furor making a heroic but futile attack on the USS Indiana.
### Legado de Villaamil
Although Villaamil’s efforts failed to change the course of the war, his invention reshaped the future of naval warfare. The destroyer, or the modern equivalent, the frigate, remains a central part of naval combat today, characterized by speed, maneuverability, and firepower. The technological advancements have not altered the fundamental concept. Fernando Villaamil, a highly innovative and unfortunate naval officer, left a significant and lasting impact on naval history.