Together with his work as Executive Officer of the Naval Academy, or as Director of it, in order to obtain his title of attorney, Prat continued studying, not at the University but on board the "Esmeralda".

Thus, on 26 July 1876 he obtained the degree of Licentiate in Law. His final paper dealed on a subject very much in fashion in those days: Remarks on the Election Law recently published. Two significant and outstanding aspects of his thought are revealed in his paper: His philosophical trends and his spirit for research.

With his degree already obtained Arturo Prat started the application to obtain his title of attorney, and on 31 July 1876, wearing his dress uniform and his sword he arrived in Court. He attracted the people's attention and curiosity, as it was unusual to see a Navy Officer applying for the title of attorney. He was a simple man with no vanity at all, but to honor the occasion, which was for him solemn and unforgettable, he had wanted to attend wearing his best clothes.

When the time came and the usher informed him that he would not be able to render his examination and that he would have to ask for a new date, Prat was visibly annoyed, as he was not used to this lack of respect toward a previously agreed commitment, so much against Navy Regulations. He had had to come from Valparaiso in an agreed day and hour, with all it implied for him. Therefore, he complained before the First Officer of the Court's Secretariat, who advised him to ask for a hearing with the Court's President, Mr. Manuel Montt. Without delay Prat proceeded and obtained the hearing, submitting before Mr. Montt his urgency to return to his ship, asking to be allowed to render his examination. Mr. Montt consulted with his colleagues and his application was agreed without hesitation, and the usher was ordered to bring in the Navy Officer so justly annoyed. But the problems were not over, our hero was again stopped by the usher who informed him that it was not allowed to enter Court with a walking stick, much less a sword, so he had to proceed to deliver it.

For the first and only time in an official activity, Arturo Prat delivered his sword into alien hands, but only to pay homage to the majesty of the law, at the door of the High Tribunal of the Republic. Not even before the overwhelming superiority of the "Huáscar", nor before death itself on the deck of her; only before the Judges of the Chilean Supreme Court of Justice!

Thus, Arturo Prat entered to Court without his sword and just as a simple licentiate in Law, even though wearing his most elegant dress uniform of Lieutenant Commander.

After passing with a brilliant examination and with unanimous approval he was congratulated by the Secretary, Mr. Infante, on behalf of the examination commission, for the extraordinary competence shown. Justice was being made to his perseverance and to the extraordinary talents of this exceptional man.

Before rendering his examination Prat had already performed as an attorney defending an engineer, Ricardo Owen, who had been filed for disobedience, and after that his friend and fellow student Luis Uribe, charged with disobedience and contempt. In a defense, notable for its accuracy and master skill, he had openly proved the arbitrary and incredibly guilty attitude of Admiral José Anacleto Goñi, the no less reprehensible attitude of Minister Alberto Blest-Gana in Europe, and the lack of knowledge of the prosecutor. It was a great triumph for Arturo Prat, as the War Council acquitted the defendant, considering Uribe's six month of arrest as complied with , and granting him all the adequate damages.

Apart from the prosecutor, Commander Luis Ignacio Gana, and the defense attorney, Lieutenant Commander Arturo Prat, the Council included Rear Admiral Santiago Jorge Bynon, Commanders Galvarino Riveros and Luis Alfredo Lynch, Lieutenant Commanders Oscar Viel and Luis Pomar, Judge Advocate Ramón Huidobro, and the secretaries Luis Angel Lynch at first, and Constantino Bannen afterwards.

After the death of Vice Admiral Manuel Blanco on 5 September 1876, Prat was one of the speakers at his funeral in Santiago in a speech that revealed his learning, The same thing happened again on 27 December 1877, on occasion of the passing away of Vice Admiral Robert Winthrop Simpson, where he delivered an eloquent funeral oration.

On 1876, the Naval Academy was closed and Prat performed as Assistant of the Maritime Governor of Valparaiso, with his attorney's bureau located at the Plaza de la Justicia, in the upper floor of the Chilean Consolidated Bank. This enabled him both to serve his clients when free on leave and his duties pertaining his rank.

When the Navigation Project was submitted before the House of Deputies, on 14 December 1876, some of its authors got in touch with Prat to ask for his advice and the proposal of any modifications he might deem convenient. After months of ceaseless work, Prat finally made his remarks based on 152 articles. Many of them were adopted and the law was passed on 24 July 1878 and stayed in effect for a hundred years.

Ultima Modificación: Lunes 30 de Abril de 2001