Rivadavia-class battleship
Rivadavia c. 1914–15, possibly on a speed trial.
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Class overview | |
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Builders |
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Operators | Argentine Navy |
Preceded by | Independencia class |
Succeeded by | None |
Built | 1910–15 |
In commission | 1914–56 |
Completed | 2 |
Preserved | 0 |
General characteristics 1915 | |
Type | Dreadnought battleship |
Displacement |
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Length | |
Beam | 98 ft 4.5 in (29.985 m) |
Draft | 27 ft 8.5 in (8.446 m) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | 22.5 knots (25.9 mph; 41.7 km/h) |
Range |
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Armament |
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Armor |
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The Rivadavia class consisted of two battleships designed by the American Fore River Shipbuilding Company for the Argentine Navy. Named Rivadavia and Moreno after important figures in Argentine history, they were Argentina's entry in the South American dreadnought race and a counter to Brazil's two Minas Geraes-class battleships.
In 1904, Brazil scrapped a previous naval building program in favor of an order that included three warships of the new "
With increasing tensions in Europe that would eventually lead to the
Background
The raison d'être for the Rivadavia class can be traced back to Argentine–Chilean territorial disputes over the boundary of
By 1904, however, Brazil began to seriously consider upgrading its navy to compete with Argentina and Chile.
Debates raged in Argentina over the wisdom of acquiring dreadnoughts to counter Brazil's. The
Despite American entreaties to preclude the naval arms race, Brazil continued development on the ships. This, combined with renewed border disputes, particularly in the River Plate (Río de la Plata, literally "Silver River") area, spurred Argentina to move forward with plans for their own battleships. Inflamed by newspaper editors, opinion had swung towards supporting a naval building program. While an early plan called for $35 million to be invested—$7 million from foreign loans—a $55 million plan was adopted in August 1908. Hoping to end the arms race, Argentina made an offer to purchase one of the two Brazilian ships, but the refusal prompted the dispatch of an Argentine naval commission to Europe to acquire dreadnoughts.[12]
Bidding
Proposals from shipbuilders for two dreadnoughts (along with a possible third, to match Brazil should a third ship be ordered) and twelve destroyers were solicited in 1908 by
Fifteen shipyards from the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, and Italy began bidding on the battleships.[15] Diplomatic pressure to give the contracts was brought to bear from all these countries, especially the first three.[16][D] Even with this assistance, industry leaders in the United States believed that they had no chance in the bidding without active cooperation from their government, as Europe was the traditional arms supplier to Argentina (and to all of South America).[18] Even when this was given, including the removal of import tariffs on hides from Argentina, promises for additional concessions if American shipbuilders were selected,[19] and an offer to include the most technologically advanced fire-control system and torpedo tubes available on the Argentine battleships, the United States was widely viewed as a non-contender.[20] Historian Seward W. Livermore remarked that "opposition to the United States was formidable. The naval commission was pro-British; the vice-president of the republic, Roque Sáenz Peña, favored Italy, where he had been the Argentine envoy for many years; and the minister of war wanted the contracts to go to Germany, so as to standardize the military and naval equipment of the country."[19]
The president of the
The political influence of foreign powers is being exerted in a very forceful manner to turn the business to English and Continental firms; the King of Italy, the German Emperor, and the force of English diplomacy are being made use of; and American firms will have very little consideration, I fear, unless our government will exert some very powerful influence in favor of this country.[21]
The United States, however, found an ally in Buenos Aires' main daily newspaper, La Prensa. The owner, editor, and naval editor were all in favor of acquiring American-designed dreadnoughts. In addition, the paper found evidence of British wrongdoing in a related naval contract. Under public pressure, the naval commission was forced to reconsider its original list, which had placed Italy first and Britain second. It now featured the United States first, Britain second, and Italy last.[19]
In a surprise move, the Argentine naval commission then threw out all of the opening tenders and called for another round of bidding; they simultaneously updated the specifications to include what were judged to be the best aspects of all the plans.[22] The competitors were given three weeks to come up with new designs and cost estimates. After diplomatic protests, this was modified slightly; the original bids were kept, but alterations to attempt to conform to the new desired characteristics were allowed.[23][E]
The commission found that the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company bid was lowest on one battleship, and the Fore River Shipbuilding Company was lowest on the other. Despite a British attempt to allow the Armstrong Whitworth-Vickers team to lower their price by $570,000, prompt American diplomacy granting various assurances regarding recent events between the United States and Brazil, the upcoming 1910 Pan-American Conference, and a guarantee of American participation in the Argentine centennial celebrations secured the battleship contracts for Fore River on 21 January 1910.[26][F] The maximum price Fore River tendered, $10.7 million, underbid the British by more than $973,000, but their ship's displacement was 2,000 long tons (2,000 t) smaller, the belt armor was 2 inches (51 mm) thinner, and the top speed was slightly lower.[27] Orders for the twelve destroyers were divided among Britain, France, and Germany.[28]
Rivadavia was built by Fore River at its shipyard in Massachusetts, but they were contractually obligated to
A third dreadnought, provided for in the contract, was strongly supported by Argentina and by U.S. diplomats during 1910, while the Minas Geraes class was still under construction. La Prensa and one of its rivals, La Argentina, heavily advocated a third ship; the latter even started a petition to raise money for a new battleship. An American diplomat wrote back to the United States that "this newspaper rivalry promises the early conclusion of a movement which means a third battleship whether by public subscription or by Government funds."[32] However, Brazil's 21–26 November Revolt of the Lash—in which the three most powerful ships in the fleet (the battleships Minas Geraes and São Paulo and the cruiser Bahia) and several smaller warships violently rebelled—crushed the previous sentiment for a new battleship.[33] About two years later in October 1912, a third dreadnought was authorized by Argentina in case Brazil's Rio de Janeiro was completed and delivered. The ship was never named or built, as Rio de Janeiro was sold to the Ottoman Empire due to monetary issues, and a later planned Brazilian ship (Riachuelo) was canceled due to the beginning of the First World War.[34]
International reaction
The choice of Fore River came as a complete surprise to the European bidders.
... it may be presumed that everything ... good in the first proposals [was] seized upon by the Argentine authorities and asked for in the new design. This second request went not only to British builders but to all the builders of the world, and in this way it is exceedingly probable that a serious leakage of ideas and practice of our ships was disseminated through the world by the Argentine government.... The third inquiry that was issued showed to all the builders of the world what has been eliminated or modified in the second inquiry; and so the process of leakage went merrily on, and with it that of the education of foreign builders and the Argentine government.[35]
Various British newspapers also cried foul. The Evening Standard believed that as "Argentina's greatest creditor and greatest client",[24] Britain ought to have been awarded the two ships. The Times took a different track, accusing American shipbuilders of slashing prices to an obscene degree,[H] and accusing the government of exerting undue diplomatic pressure to obtain the contracts.[24]
New Zealand's Evening Post noted that the United States had previously built major warships for other countries, including Russia, and Britain's ally Japan, and commented, "The severity of the blow to England rests in ... the amount of English capital in [Argentina]", possibly echoing the Evening Standard's argument. They referred to a "startling" fact printed by the Daily Mail: the steel used for the armor of the American design was obtained for a much lower price. With Bethlehem's ability to produce it at £8 less per ton than British foundries, a cost savings of more than 10% in steel over the British ship could be realized.[30]
Germany asserted that the United States was given the opportunity to view the other nations' tenders and lower their price accordingly. Germany also alleged that the United States had secured the deal by pledging to come to Argentina's defense should they become embroiled in a military conflict.[37]
The New York Times noted that with Argentina's and Brazil's dreadnought orders, countries in North and South America were building the five biggest
Possible sale
After Brazil sold Rio de Janeiro to the Ottoman Empire, Argentina began to actively seek a buyer for their two ships so the profits could be invested in education. In the tension that preceded the First World War, there were many suitors. The United States, however, abhorred the idea of their latest technological advances falling into the hands of a possible future combat opponent. While the contract allowed the United States Navy an option to acquire the ships if a deal was reached with a third nation, the Navy did not want the ships; with the rapid advances in dreadnought technology, such as the "all or nothing" armor arrangement, even new ships like Rivadavia and Moreno were seen as outmoded.[40]
Three bills directing that the battleships be sold were introduced into the
Design influences
The Rivadavia design was very similar to a 1906 proposal from Fore River for an American dreadnought class.
Service histories
The ships finally arrived in Argentina in February and May 1915, respectively. In the 1930s they participated in training cruises and diplomatic trips, including:
- Moreno's 1933 visit to Brazil with Argentine president Agustín Pedro Justo aboard;[57]
- A second visit in 1934 to mark the centennial of Brazilian independence;[57]
- Rivadavia's and Moreno's 1937 voyage to Europe, where they visited Brest (France), Wilhelmshaven, Bremen, and Hamburg (Germany);[57]
- Moreno's additional participation on the same voyage in the British Hanson Baldwin described it as "a strange vestigial sea monster in this company of more modern fighting ships";[58]
- Rivadavia's and Moreno's 1939 training cruise to Brazil with naval cadets embarked; with the beginning of the Second World War in September, destroyers had to be sent from Argentina to escort them home.[57]
During the war, both ships were mainly inactive due to Argentine neutrality. Rivadavia undertook a last diplomatic cruise to Trinidad, Venezuela, and Colombia in 1946, but both ships were immobile by 1948. Moreno was stricken from the naval register on 1 October 1956 and was brought to Japan in 1957 for scrapping. Rivadavia was stricken on 1 February 1957 and scrapped in Italy beginning in 1959.[59] The money gained from selling the two dreadnoughts along with an older armored cruiser, Pueyrredón, was used to buy an aircraft carrier from the United Kingdom, Independencia (ex-Warrior).[60]
Specifications
The two ships of the Rivadavia class were 594 feet 9 inches (181.28 m)
For armament, the Rivadavia class was equipped with a
The 12"/50 was a
Full ammunition loads were 1,440 rounds for the 12-inch guns (120 per gun), 3,600 rounds for the 6-inch (300), 5,600 rounds for the 4-inch (350), and 16 torpedoes manufactured by
Rivadavia and Moreno used Brown–Curtis geared steam turbines, powered by 18 Babcock & Wilcox boilers and connected to three propellers. With a total output of about 40,000 shaft horsepower (30,000 kW), the ships were designed to travel at a maximum speed of 22.5 knots (41.7 km/h; 25.9 mph) and may have been capable of slightly more. At speeds of 11 to 15 knots (20 to 28 km/h; 13 to 17 mph), their endurance ranged from 11,000 to 7,000 nautical miles (20,000 to 13,000 km; 12,700 to 8,100 mi), respectively. Their fuel was a coal–oil mix and the ships carried 3,900 long tons (4,000 t) of the former and 590 long tons (600 t) of the latter.[1]
Typical of American-designed dreadnoughts at the time, the Rivadavia class included substantial armor protection. A 12-inch (305 mm) belt was fitted amidships, covering 5 feet (1.5 m) above and 6 feet (1.8 m) below the designed waterline, gradually decreasing towards the bow and stern to 5 inches (127 mm) and 4 inches (100 mm), respectively. The gun turrets received heavy armor, including 12 inches (305 mm) on the front, 9 inches (230 mm) on the sides, 9.5 inches (240 mm) on the back, and 4 inches (100 mm) on the top. Deck armor consisted of .5 inches (13 mm) medium steel and 2 inches (51 mm) nickel steel.[1]
See also
- Dreadnoughtus – a fossilized dinosaur found in Patagonia, Argentina, named in part because of the Rivadavia class
Footnotes
- ^ Three were ordered, but only two were built right away. The third's keel was laid down and ripped up several times before becoming Rio de Janeiro, later the British HMS Agincourt.[2]
- ^ Chile's naval tonnage was 36,896 long tons (37,488 t), Argentina's 34,425 long tons (34,977 t), and Brazil's 27,661 long tons (28,105 t).[5]
- ^ Argentina uses "$" to represent their peso and "US$" or similar for the U.S. dollar; however, "$" generally means "dollar" in English sources and in this article.
- American minister to Argentina. As part of this, American bankers were persuaded to offer a $10 million loan to Argentina to help pay for the dreadnoughts should they be built in the United States.[16] From a global perspective, this was a concentrated effort to obtain naval contracts from countries as varied as Spain, Russia, Greece, Turkey, and China, as well as Latin America.[17]
- ^ While both Scheina and Livermore explicitly state that the commission threw out all the bids twice,[20][24] neither makes it clear when this occurred. Livermore only goes into detail about one of these occasions, of which it is not clear if it is the second or third round.[23] Hough states that Armstrong was forced to draw up four designs, which could mean that the bid was thrown out as many as three times.[25]
- ^ There were five specific assurances (quoted from Livermore):[26]
- A denial that the United States contemplated any understanding with Brazil in regard to joint or simultaneous action in reference to Latin-American affairs.
- A statement from Secretary Knox giving that Senor Portela, the Argentine minister, credit for the suggestion of British mediation in the Alsop case—or at least denying that Senor Nabuco, the Brazilian ambassador, was the first to suggest it.
- A specific denial for the benefit of Senor de la Plaza, the foreign minister, that the state department had ever acknowledged the claim of the Brazilian foreign office for credit in the settlement of the Alsop case.
- A substantial congressional appropriation for the Pan-American conference in Buenos Aires in July 1910.
- The dispatch of a squadron of American warships to the Argentine Centennial Celebration in May 1910.
- The United States to discourage Brazil and Uruguay from raising the question of jurisdiction of the waters of the Rio de la Plata.
- pounds sterling): American, 78.3; Italian, 85.9; British, 86.3; French, 87.4; and German, 88.2.[31]
- ^ Ironically, the New York Herald had previously stated on 17 January 1909 that it believed the British would eventually win the Argentine contracts by slashing prices.[36]
- ^ This was possibly referencing an earlier (March 1914) incident where French bankers—given direction by Russia—offered Argentina twice the amount they paid for the Rivadavia-class ships so that the ships could be turned over to Greece.[41] Scheina mentions a 1913 Russian attempt to purchase both Argentine and both Chilean battleships, but gives no specifics.[42]
- ^ The plan from the Bureau of Construction and Repair was selected over that of Fore River and was used for the two Delawares, Delaware and North Dakota.[46]
- ^ One 1918 voyage from Buenos Aires to New York and back required about 15,000 long tons (15,000 t) of coal, 4,000 long tons (4,100 t) more than expected.[54]
Endnotes
- ^ a b c d e f g h Scheina, "Argentina," 401.
- ^ Topliss, "The Brazilian Dreadnoughts," 246–249, 284.
- ^ Scheina, Naval History, 45–52; Garrett, "Beagle Channel Dispute," 86–88.
- ^ Topliss, "The Brazilian Dreadnoughts," 240; Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 32.
- ^ a b c Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 32.
- ^ Scheina, "Brazil," 403; Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 32.
- ^ "The Brazilian Battleship 'Minas Geraes'," Scientific American, 241.
- ^ Sondhaus, Naval Warfare, 216; Scheina, "Brazil," 403.
- ^ Sondhaus, Naval Warfare, 216
- ^ Scheina, "Argentina," 400; "Germany may buy English warships," The New York Times, 1 August 1908, C8.
- ^ Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 32–33.
- ^ Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 33.
- ^ Scheina, "Argentina," 401; Scheina, Latin America, 82; Whitley, Battleships, 18.
- ^ Scheina, "Argentina," 401; Scheina, Latin America, 83.
- ^ Scheina, "Argentina," 401; Scheina, Latin America, 83; Whitley, Battleships, 18.
- ^ a b Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 34.
- ^ Livermore, "American Navy," 875–876.
- ^ Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 35–36.
- ^ a b c Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 36.
- ^ a b c Scheina, Latin America, 83.
- ^ Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 35.
- ^ Scheina, Latin America, 83; Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 37.
- ^ a b Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 37.
- ^ a b c d Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 39.
- ^ Hough, Big Battleship, 21–22.
- ^ a b Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 38.
- ^ a b Alger, "Professional Notes," 595.
- ^ Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 38; "America to Build Argentine Ships," The New York Times, 23 January 1910, C4.
- ^ Scheina, Latin America, 83; Sarcone and Rines, A History of Shipbuilding.
- ^ a b "Argentine Navy; Dreadnought Orders," Evening Post, 23 March 1910, 4.
- ^ Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 39; Alger, "Professional Notes," 595.
- ^ Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 44.
- ^ Scheina, Latin America, 104–107; Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 44.
- ^ Scheina, Latin America, 321; Scheina, "Argentina" and "Brazil," 402, 405.
- ^ JH Biles, "The Argentine Dreadnoughts," Times (London), 25 February 1910, 4c.
- ^ Scheina, Latin America, 354.
- ^ "Accuse America of Unfair Competition," The New York Times, 26 November 1911, C4.
- ^ "Our Navy Close to England's Now," The New York Times, 11 December 1910, 8.
- ^ a b Scheina, "Argentina," 402.
- ^ Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 45–46.
- ^ Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 47.
- ^ Scheina, Latin America, 355.
- ^ "Turkey and Greece; Purpose of Dreadnoughts," Poverty Bay Herald, 2 January 1914, 3.
- ^ Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 46–47.
- ^ Friedman, U.S. Battleships, 69.
- ^ Friedman, U.S. Battleships, 68.
- ^ Friedman, U.S. Battleships, 68–69.
- ^ Scheina, "Argentina," 401; Scheina, Latin America, 83.
- ^ Whitley, Battleships, 19–20.
- ^ "Moreno Launched For Argentine Navy," The New York Times, 24 September 1911, 12.
- ^ a b c Whitley, Battleships, 21.
- ^ "The Rivadavia Delayed," The New York Times, 24 August 1914, 7.
- ^ "New Battleship Disabled," The New York Times, 3 November 1914, 18.
- ^ a b Parkes and Prendergast, Jane's Fighting Ships 1919, 451.
- ^ Scheina, Latin America, 86.
- ^ Scheina, "Argentina" and "Brazil," 402, 405.
- ^ a b c d Whitley, Battleships, 21–22.
- ^ Hanson Baldwin, "158 Warships Boom Salute to George in Spithead Review," New York Times, 21 May 1937, 1, 9.
- ^ Whitney, Battleships, 21–22; "96 Day Tow," The New York Times, 18 August 1957, 61.
- ^ Scheina, Latin America, 194.
- ^ Scheina, Naval History, 82; Scheina, "Argentina" and "Brazil," 401, 404.
- ^ Scheina, "Argentina," 401; Tony DiGiulian, "12"/50 (30.5 cm) Bethlehem," NavWeaps, accessed 11 June 2010.
- ^ Whitley, Battleships of World War II, 21–22.
References
- Alger, Philip. "Professional Notes; Ships of War, Budgets and Personnel; Argentine Republic." Proceedings of the United States Naval Institute 36, no. 2 (1910): 595–647. OCLC 2496995.
- Burzaco, Ricardo and Patricio Ortíz. Acorazados y Cruceros de la Armada Argentina, 1881–1982. Buenos Aires: Eugenio B. Ediciones, 1997. OCLC 39297360.
- Friedman, Norman. U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1985. OCLC 12214729.
- Gardiner, Robert and Randal Gray, eds. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1985. OCLC 12119866.
- 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. OCLC 2239844.
- Hough, Richard. The Big Battleship. London: Michael Joseph, 1966. OCLC 8898108.
- Livermore, Seward W. "Battleship Diplomacy in South America: 1905–1925." The Journal of Modern History 16, no. 1 (1944): 31–44. OCLC 62219150.
- ———. "The American Navy as a Factor in World Politics, 1903–1913." The American Historical Review 63, no. 4 (1958): 863–879. OCLC 35776522.
- Parkes, Oscar and Maurice Prendergast, eds. Jane's Fighting Ships 1919. New York: Arco Publishing Company, 1969. First published in 1919 by Sampson Low Marston. OCLC 959870323.
- Preston, Antony. "Great Britain." In Gardiner and Gray, Conway's, 1–104.
- Sarcone, Anthony F. and Lawrence S. Rines. A History of Shipbuilding at Fore River. Quincy, MA: Quincy Junior College, 1975. OCLC 21584870.
- Scheina, Robert L. "Argentina." In Gardiner and Gray, Conway's, 400–403.
- ———. "Brazil." In Gardiner and Gray, Conway's, 403–407.
- ———. Latin America: A Naval History 1810–1987. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1987. OCLC 15696006.
- Sondhaus, Lawrence. Naval Warfare, 1815–1914. London and New York: Routledge, 2001. OCLC 44039349.
- Topliss, David. "The Brazilian Dreadnoughts, 1904–1914." Warship International 25, no. 3 (1988): 240–289. OCLC 1647131.
- Vanterpool, Alan. "The Riachuleo." Warship International 6, no. 2 (1969): 140–141.
- Whitley, M.J. Battleships of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis: OCLC 40834665.
Further reading
- Burzaco, Ricardo and Patricio Ortíz. Acorazados y Cruceros de la Armada Argentina, 1881–1982. Buenos Aires: Eugenio B. Ediciones, 1997. OCLC 39297360. (in Spanish)
External links
- British diplomatic documents relating to the dreadnought race (FO 508/8; Adam Matthew subscription required)
- "Historia y Arqueología Marítima" (HistArMar) Battleships ARA Moreno & Rivadavia – History and pictures
- "Historia y Arqueología Marítima" (HistArMar) Battleship ARA Rivadavia (1914) – Pictures
- Acorazado Rivadavia (YouTube)
- The Launching of the Battleship Rivadavia (IMDB)
- ARA Rivadavia on Flickr (LOC)
- "Historia y Arqueología Marítima" (HistArMar) – Battleship ARA Moreno (1915) – Pictures & Specifications
- ARA Moreno on Flickr (LOC)