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Chilean battleship Almirante Latorre

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Almirante Latorre
Company typeBattleship
IndustryNaval military vessel
Founded27 November 1913
Headquarters
Newcastle upon Tyne
,
United Kingdom
ProductsSuper-dreadnought battleship

Almirante Latorre, a super-dreadnought battleship, was constructed for the Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile) and named in honor of Juan José Latorre. It was intended to be the lead vessel of a two-ship class designed to counterbalance the naval acquisitions made by other South American nations during the regional dreadnought competition. The keel was laid at Elswick in Newcastle upon Tyne shortly after the order was placed in November 1911. Before completion, the United Kingdom's Royal Navy purchased the vessel for service in the First World War. Commissioned in September 1915, it operated within the Grand Fleet under the name HMS Canada and participated in combat at the Battle of Jutland.

In 1920, Chile reacquired the ship, restoring its original name, Almirante Latorre. It served as the nation's flagship and was often utilized as a transport for presidential duties. Between 1929 and 1931, it underwent extensive modernization in Britain. In September 1931, sailors aboard Almirante Latorre initiated a mutiny that rapidly spread across most of Chile’s naval forces. Internal disagreements among the insurgents led to the collapse of the uprising, allowing government forces to regain control of the fleet. During the 1930s, economic challenges from the Great Depression led to its placement in reserve. Despite this, its condition attracted interest from the United States following the attack on Pearl Harbor, though Chile declined to sell. Throughout World War II, Almirante Latorre primarily conducted patrols along Chilean waters before being dismantled in Japan starting in 1959.

Background

Main article: South American dreadnought race

During the 1880s, an Argentine–Chilean naval arms race emerged as a result of territorial disagreements between Argentina and Chile over their shared boundaries in Patagonia and Puna de Atacama, as well as control of the Beagle Channel. This naval competition was ultimately resolved through British mediation, which led to a treaty that imposed limitations on the naval forces of both nations. Subsequently, the United Kingdom's Royal Navy acquired two Constitución-class pre-dreadnought battleships initially under construction for Chile, while Argentina sold its two Rivadavia-class armored cruisers being built in Italy to Japan.[1][2]

Following the commissioning of HMS Dreadnought, Brazil decided in early 1907 to discontinue work on three outdated pre-dreadnought vessels, opting instead to build two or three modern dreadnought battleships.[3] These new ships, known as the Minas Geraes class, were outfitted with the most formidable battleship artillery globally at that time.[4] Their arrival took South American naval powers by surprise.[3] Naval historian Robert Scheina remarked that these vessels "surpassed the entire [aging] Argentinian fleet".[5] Although there was considerable debate within Argentina about whether acquiring costly dreadnoughts to match Brazil's fleet was wise, escalating border tensions—especially around the River Plate with Brazil—ultimately influenced the decision to procure two Rivadavia-class battleships (unrelated to the earlier cruisers) from the Fore River Shipbuilding Company in the United States.[6][7] In response to its main competitors' dreadnought acquisitions, Chile initiated a solicitation for bids from American and European shipbuilders to secure the most powerful battleships available.[8]

Construction

File:Chilean battleship Almirante Latorre launch.png
Launch of Almirante Latorre, November 1913.

On 6 July 1910, Chile’s National Congress of Chile approved legislation allocating an annual budget of 400,000 pounds sterling for naval expansion, including the construction of two 28,000-long-ton (28,449 t) battleships—later named Almirante Latorre and Almirante CochraneTemplate:Efn-ua—alongside six destroyers and two submarines.[9] The contract for these battleships was granted to Armstrong Whitworth on 25 July 1911.[10] The order for Almirante Latorre was formalized on 2 November 1911, with its keel laid shortly thereafter on 27 November,[11][12] marking it as Armstrong’s largest ship constructed to that date.[13] On 2 November 1913, the New York Tribune reported that Greece had negotiated a purchase agreement for Almirante Latorre amid tensions with the Ottoman Empire,[14] yet despite growing domestic support in Chile for selling one or both dreadnoughts, no transaction occurred.[15][16]Template:Efn-ua

The launch ceremony for Almirante Latorre took place on 27 November 1913,[17][18]Template:Efn-ua featuring an elaborate event attended by dignitaries and led by Chile’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Agustín Edwards Mac Clure. The ambassador’s wife, Olga Budge de Edwards, performed the ship’s christening.[9]

Acquisition by Britain and Service During the First World War

File:Brassey's HMS Canada Plan (1915).jpg
Blueprints of HMS Canada

Following the outbreak of the First World War in Europe, the United Kingdom officially acquired Almirante Latorre on 9 September 1914;[11][17][19][20] unlike other foreign vessels under construction in British shipyards—such as the battleships Reşadiye and Sultân Osmân-ı Evvel destined for the Ottoman Empire—it was not seized by force. This was due to the Allies’ dependence on Chilean sodium nitrate for ammunition production, making it crucial to maintain Chile’s status as a "friendly neutral" with Britain.[19] Upon acquisition, Almirante Latorre was renamed HMS Canada and underwent minor modifications to suit Royal Navy requirements. The original bridge was removed and replaced by two open platforms, while a mast was installed between the funnels to support a derrick for handling launches.[17] The super-dreadnought completed its fitting-out phase on 20 September 1915,[11][19] and entered service with the Royal Navy on 15 October.[17]

File:HMS Canada IWM SP 1938.jpg
HMS Canada underway during World War I

Initially assigned to the 4th Battle Squadron within the Grand Fleet, Canada participated in the Battle of Jutland from 31 May to 1 June 1916 under Captain William Nicholson. During this engagement, it discharged 42 shells from its 14-inch guns along with 109 rounds from its 6-inch secondary battery, sustaining no damage or casualties.[17] At approximately 18:40, it launched two salvoes targeting the disabled cruiser Wiesbaden, followed by five additional salvoes at an unidentified vessel around 19:20.[21] Furthermore, its 6-inch guns engaged German destroyers at 19:11.[22]

On 12 June 1916, Canada was reassigned to the 1st Battle Squadron. Between 1917 and 1918, enhancements included the installation of improved rangefinders and range dials. Additionally, two aft-mounted 6-inch guns were removed after suffering blast damage caused by the central 14-inch turret. In late 1918, flying-off platforms for aircraft were constructed atop both superfiring turrets fore and aft. The battleship was placed into reserve status in March 1919.[17]

Initial Period

File:Chilean Battleship Almirante Latore in drydock, Balboa, CZ January 17, 1921.jpg
Almirante Latorre docked at Balboa, Panama on 17 January 1921 during transit from the UK to Chile

Following the conclusion of hostilities in Europe, Chile sought to strengthen its naval forces. Britain offered several surplus warships for sale, including two remaining Invincible-class battlecruisers.Template:Efn-ua This prospect of acquiring such capital ships sparked considerable debate within Chile. Naval officers publicly criticized the purchase plan, advocating instead for investments in submarines and aircraft due to their cost efficiency and demonstrated effectiveness during World War I.[23] Neighboring South American countries expressed concern that Chile’s attempt to reclaim its position as "the first naval power in South America," as described by The New York Times, might trigger a renewed naval arms competition.[24][25]

Ultimately, Chile purchased only Canada along with four destroyers in April 1920; all these vessels had been originally ordered by Chile before World War I but were requisitioned by Britain during wartime.[25] The combined price of these five ships amounted to less than one-third of what Chile had been obligated to pay for Almirante Latorre back in 1914.[9] Upon transfer back to Chilean control on 27 November 1920,[17] she reverted to her original name of Almirante Latorre. Departing Plymouth that day with two destroyers—Riveros and Almirante Uribe—under Admiral Luis Gomez Carreño,[26][9] they arrived in Chile on 20 February 1921 where President Arturo Alessandri personally welcomed them. The battleship assumed duties as the navy’s flagship.[9]

Serving as the flagship of the Chilean Navy, Almirante Latorre frequently hosted President Alessandri for official events. Following the devastating magnitude 8.5 1922 Vallenar earthquake, she transported Alessandri to affected regions and delivered essential aid such as shelter materials, food supplies, and monetary assistance.[9][27] By 1923, Chile’s active fleet consisted only of this dreadnought alongside a cruiser and five destroyers; accordingly, The New York Times assessed that experts would likely rank Chile third in naval strength behind Brazil and Argentina. Although individually more powerful than either Brazilian or Argentine dreadnoughts, Chile possessed only one such capital ship compared to two each fielded by its rivals. This disparity was further exacerbated by a shortage of modern cruisers capable of accompanying their lone battleship.[28] In 1924, President Alessandri again used Almirante Latorre during his visit to Talcahuano for inaugurating a new naval drydock facility.[9] After the dissolution of the January Junta in early 1925, Alessandri returned aboard this battleship during a fleet review held at Valparaíso; while aboard he addressed senior naval officers affirming that his administration "was for all Chileans" and non-partisan in nature.[29] In September—the final month of his presidency—he received Edward VIII (then Prince of Wales) aboard Almirante Latorre. This royal visit temporarily eased internal tensions and initiated discussions regarding a British naval mission which arrived the following year.[30]

In May 1929, Almirante Latorre departed for extensive modernization at Devonport Dockyard in the United Kingdom. Leaving Chile on the fifteenth of that month, she passed through Balboa before transiting the Panama Canal nine days later. After refueling at Port of Spain on May 28th and crossing the Atlantic via the Azores, she reached Plymouth on June 24th.[31] The refit included reconstructing the bridge structure; upgrading main battery fire control systems; installing fire control for secondary armaments; replacing steam turbine engines; adding a new mast between turrets three and four; fitting anti-torpedo bulges akin to those on British Queen Elizabeth-class battleship-class vessels; and incorporating new anti-aircraft weaponry.[17] Nearly two years following commencement of upgrades, Almirante Latorre returned to Valparaíso on March 5th, arriving April 12th. During this voyage back to Chile she carried two newly acquired 33-long-ton (34 t) harbor tugboats intended for use at Punta Arenas and Valparaíso aboard her deck.[31]

1931 mutiny

File:Almirante Latorre from bow.jpg
Almirante Latorre viewed from the bow, date unspecified.
Main article: Chilean naval mutiny of 1931

Although the ousting of the authoritarian President Carlos Ibáñez del Campo in July 1931 initially generated optimism, Chile remained deeply affected by the harsh economic downturn caused by the Great Depression. To reduce government spending, salaries for civil servants earning more than 3,000 pesos annually were cut by 12 to 30 percent. This measure provoked strong discontent among naval personnel, who had already endured a 10 percent pay reduction alongside a 50 percent decrease in overseas allowances. On 31 August, enlisted sailors aboard Almirante Latorre—excluding officers—convened and resolved that mutiny was their best option.[32][33][34]

In the early hours of 1 September, junior crew members on Almirante Latorre, an armored cruiser (O'Higgins), along with seven destroyers and several submarines, seized control of their vessels while many fellow sailors were attending a boxing event in La Serena. They detained their officers with minimal resistance and secured the ships by approximately 02:00. A committee named Estado Mayor de Tripulacion was established to lead the uprising. Later that afternoon at 16:55, the mutineers communicated via radio to the navy minister that their actions were independent and not affiliated with any militant political faction or communist insurgency. They demanded full restoration of their wages and accountability for those responsible for Chile’s economic crisis while emphasizing they would not resort to violence to achieve their objectives.[34][35]

As midnight approached on 2 September, the mutineers transmitted a more detailed set of twelve demands described by an observer as "sophisticated."[36]Template:Efn-ua Meanwhile, naval personnel at the principal base in Talcahuano joined the revolt, capturing multiple vessels. Some ships sailed northward to unify with other rebels; however, two cruisers along with several destroyers and submarines remained stationed to defend the base. Additional naval installations also aligned with the rebellion, including the Second Air Group located in Quintero. The growing number of insurgents raised fears that unemployed laborers might join their cause.Template:Efn-ua The government sought assistance from the United States for military intervention or supplies such as two submarines and armor-piercing bombs capable of damaging Almirante Latorre, but these requests were denied both publicly and privately. Acting Vice President Manuel Trucco faced a difficult dilemma: he needed to suppress the mutiny before it gained further support but risked alienating public opinion if his response resembled that of former dictator Ibáñez del Campo. Opting for conciliation, Trucco dispatched Admiral Edgardo von Schroeders to negotiate directly with the rebels aboard Almirante Latorre. Von Schroeders attempted to exploit divisions between sailors primarily upset about pay cuts and those with broader political aims to persuade them to surrender. However, a request from an approaching southern fleet urging patience delayed any resolution; consequently, von Schroeders returned to Santiago without success.[37]

September brought a reversal for the insurgents despite reinforcements arriving from the southern fleet on 4 September. Government troops recaptured all previously lost territory on land, leaving only naval vessels under rebel control. The following day saw a government airstrike that inflicted minimal damage—only disabling submarine H4’’’s diving capability—although one bomb exploded roughly 50 yards (46 m) from Almirante Latorre. Despite limited physical harm, this assault demoralized the mutineers who promptly proposed sending representatives to Santiago for negotiations; however, buoyed by their recent land victories, authorities rejected this offer. As internal disputes and disorder escalated among rebels, individual ships began departing the bay en route to Valparaíso. Ultimately, Almirante Latorre anchored in Bay of Tongoy alongside Blanco Encalada. Seven crew members aboard the dreadnought were sentenced to death; these sentences were subsequently commuted to life imprisonment.[38][39][40]

Later career

File:Review on Chilean battleship Latorre AG208-AA-158-NN-2-1339.jpg
View from the bridge of Almirante Latorre looking toward the bow turrets, date unspecified.

Amid the ongoing economic depression, the Almirante Latorre was taken out of active service at Talcahuano in 1933 as a cost-saving measure by the government,[41] with only a minimal caretaker crew assigned to maintain the mothballed vessel through the mid-1930s.[42]Template:Efn-ua During a 1937 refit at the Talcahuano shipyard, the aircraft catapult was removed and additional anti-aircraft guns were installed.[43] Despite these updates, the ship never underwent a full modernization. By the outbreak of World War II, its main battery had relatively limited range and its armor protection—designed before implementation of the "all or nothing" armor concept—was inadequate.[44] In 1939, there were considerations by Soviet-aligned buyers to acquire the vessel,[45] and shortly after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, representatives from the United States government contacted both Chile’s naval attaché and the vice admiral leading Chile’s naval commission in Washington to propose purchasing Almirante Latorre along with several destroyers to strengthen the United States Navy. Both proposals were ultimately declined,[31][46] and throughout World War II, Almirante Latorre served in neutrality patrol operations.[17]

Following a fatal incident in the engine room in 1951 that resulted in three crew deaths, the battleship was moored at Talcahuano and repurposed as a fuel oil storage hulk.[31] The vessel was officially decommissioned in October 1958 and subsequently sold to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in February 1959 for $881,110 to be dismantled for scrap.[11][9] On 29 May 1959, amid salutes from the assembled Chilean fleet, tugboat Cambrian Salvos towed the aging dreadnought[9][31] to Yokohama, Japan, where it arrived at the end of August,[17][31][47]Template:Efn-ua although scrapping did not commence immediately upon arrival.[17] Numerous components from Almirante Latorre were later utilized during restoration efforts on the Mikasa, which had undergone extensive modifications and suffered significant deterioration following World War II.[48]

Footnotes

Template:Notelist-ua

Endnotes

  1. ↑ Scheina, Naval History, 45–52.
  2. ↑ Garrett, "Beagle Channel Dispute", 86–88.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Whitley, Battleships of World War Two, 24.
  4. ↑ "Germany may buy English warships", The New York Times, 1 August 1908, C8.
  5. ↑ Scheina, "Argentina", 400.
  6. ↑ Scheina, "Argentina", 401.
  7. ↑ Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy", 33.
  8. ↑ Scheina, Naval History, 84.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 "Acorazado Almirante Latorre", Armada de Chile, archived 8 June 2008.
  10. ↑ Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy", 42.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Scheina, Naval History, 322.
  12. ↑ Scheina, "Chile", 408.
  13. ↑ Gill, "Professional Notes", 493.
  14. ↑ "Turkey Threatened with Another War", New York Tribune, 2 November 1913, 12.
  15. ↑ Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy", 45.
  16. ↑ Kaldis, "Background for Conflict", D1135.
  17. ↑ 17.00 17.01 17.02 17.03 17.04 17.05 17.06 17.07 17.08 17.09 17.10 Burt, British Battleships, 240.
  18. ↑ Gill, "Professional Notes", 193.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Preston, "Great Britain", p38.
  20. ↑ "British Navy Gains", The New York Times, 7 December 1918, 14.
  21. ↑ Campbell, Jutland, 157, 206–07.
  22. ↑ Campbell, Jutland, 210.
  23. ↑ Somervell, "Naval Affairs", 389–90.
  24. ↑ Graser Schornstheimer, "Chile as a Naval Power", The New York Times, 22 August 1920, X10.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy", 48.
  26. ↑ "Chile's War Fleet Sails", The New York Times, 28 November 1920, 12.
  27. ↑ "More Earthquakes Hit Northern Chile", The New York Times, 16 November 1922, 3.
  28. ↑ "Armament Limitation at Santiago", The New York Times, 21 March 1923, 16.
  29. ↑ Somervell, "Naval Affairs", 393.
  30. ↑ Somervell, "Naval Affairs", 393–94.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 31.4 31.5 Whitley, Battleships of World War Two, 33.
  32. ↑ Scheina, Naval History, 107.
  33. ↑ Scheina, Latin America's Wars, 74.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Sater, "Kronstadt", 241–43.
  35. ↑ Scheina, Naval History, 107–09.
  36. ↑ Quote from an "observer" given in Sater, "Kronstadt", 245.
  37. ↑ Sater, "Kronstadt", 244, 247–50.
  38. ↑ Scheina, Naval History, 112–14.
  39. ↑ Scheina, Latin America's Wars, 76.
  40. ↑ Sater, "Kronstadt", 252–53, 255–56.
  41. ↑ "Chile Lays Up All Battleships in Drastic Economy Measure", The New York Times, 19 January 1933, 7.
  42. ↑ Scheina, Naval History, 86, 359.
  43. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Scheina, Naval History, 359
  44. ↑ Worth, Fleets of World War II, 7.
  45. ↑ National Archives, File 1930–1939: 711.00111 Armament Control (Military Secrets)/723 – 711.00111 sub no. 1651, 1692
  46. ↑ Scheina, Naval History, 164.
  47. ↑ "Chilean Warship in Japan", The New York Times, 30 August 1959, S13.
  48. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).

References

  • Burt, R. A. British Battleships of World War One. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1986. ISBN 0-87021-863-8. OCLC 14224148
  • Campbell, John. Jutland: An Analysis of the Fighting. New York: Lyons Press, 1998. ISBN 1-55821-759-2. OCLC 41176817.
  • Garrett, James L. "The Beagle Channel Dispute: Confrontation and Negotiation in the Southern Cone". Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs 27, no. 3 (1985): 81–109. Template:JSTOR. Template:ISSN. OCLC 2239844.
  • Gill, C.C. "Professional Notes". Proceedings 40, no. 1 (1914): 186–272; 476–607. Template:ISSN. OCLC 2496995.
  • Kaldis, William Peter. "Background for Conflict: Greece, Turkey, and the Aegean Islands, 1912–1914". The Journal of Modern History 51, no. 2 (1979): D1119–46. Template:JSTOR. Template:ISSN. OCLC 62219150.
  • Livermore, Seward W. "Battleship Diplomacy in South America: 1905–1925". The Journal of Modern History 16, no. 1 (1944): 31–44. Template:JSTOR. Template:ISSN. OCLC 62219150.
  • Preston, Antony. "Great Britain" in Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921, edited by Robert Gardiner and Randal Gray, pp. 1–104. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1985. ISBN 0-87021-907-3. OCLC 12119866.
  • Sater, William F. "The Abortive Kronstadt: The Chilean Naval Mutiny of 1931". The Hispanic American Historical Review 60, no. 2 (1980): 239–68. Template:JSTOR. Template:ISSN. OCLC 421498310.
  • Scheina, Robert L. "Argentina" and "Chile" in Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921, edited by Robert Gardiner and Randal Gray, pp. 400–02, 407–08. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1985. ISBN 0-87021-907-3. OCLC 12119866.
  • Scheina, Robert L. Latin America: A Naval History 1810–1987. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1987. ISBN 0-87021-295-8. OCLC 15696006.
  • Scheina, Robert L. Latin America's Wars. Washington, D.C.: Brassey's, 2003. ISBN 1-57488-452-2. OCLC 49942250.
  • Somervell, Philip. "Naval Affairs in Chilean Politics, 1910–1932". Journal of Latin American Studies 16, no. 2 (1984): 381–402. Template:JSTOR. Template:ISSN. OCLC 47076058.
  • Whitley, M.J. Battleships of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1998. ISBN 1-55750-184-X. OCLC 40834665.
  • Worth, Richard. Fleets of World War II. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2001. ISBN 0-306-81116-2. OCLC 48806166.
  • US National Archives at College Park, Maryland: File 1930–1939: 711.00111 Armament Control (Military Secrets)/723 – 711.00111 sub no. 1651, 1692

Further reading

  • Tromben Corbalán & Fernando Wilson Lazo. "The Battleship Almirante Latorre (1913)" in Bruce Taylor (ed.), The World of the Battleship: The Lives and Careers of Twenty-One Capital Ships of the World's Navies, 1880–1990. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Seaforth Publishing, 2018. ISBN 0-87021-906-5

External links

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