NWazalelwa eRio de Janeiro ngo-1838, evela emndenini wonxiwankulu, u-André Rebouças waya esikoleni samasosha sasedolobheni lakhe ngaphambi kokuthola iziqu zakhe zobunjiniyela eNgilandi.Emuva eBrazil, waqokwa njengo-lieutenant embuthweni wobunjiniyela basolwandle ngesikhathi sempi elwa neParaguay ngo-1864. Wakha uhlelo lokuntywilisela olungasungulwa ngaphansi kwamanzi ukufinyelela imikhumbi yezitha nokuqhuma kusukela ngaleso sikhathi. Uhlelo luzobizwa nge- "torpedo".
Ngemuva kwempi, ecebe ngokuthengiswa kwelungelo lakhe lobunikazi, uzofundisa ePolytechnic yaseRio futhi abe ngomunye wabaholi ekulweni nobugqila kuze kube ukuqedwa kokugcina ngo-1888.