O'Higgins[nb 1] was a Chilean armoured cruiser. O'Higgins was built by the British shipbuilder Armstrong to the design of Philip Watts, and served with the Chilean Navy between 1898 and 1933.
O'Higgins main armament consisted of four 8-inch (203mm) 40 calibre guns in single turrets, with two on the ship's centreline fore and aft and two port and starboard in line with the forward funnel. Ten 6-inch (152mm) 40 calibre guns were fitted, with six in casemates and the remaining four in single turrets. Four 4.7-inch (119mm) guns, ten 12-pounder guns and ten 6-pounder guns completed O'Higgins's gun armament. All guns were designed and built by Armstrongs. Three 18-inch (457mm)torpedo tubes were fitted, with two submerged tubes on the ship's beam and one above the waterline right aft.[1][2]
The main protection was a belt of armour along the side of the ship, 260 feet (79m) long and 7 feet (2.1m) deep, which was 7 inches (178mm) thick around the ship's machinery, reducing to 6 inches (152mm) fore and aft. An armoured deck protected the whole length and beam of the ship, with between 3 inches (76mm) and 1.5 inches (38mm) thick armour. The ship's hull was clad in copper and wood to reduce fouling.[1][2]
The ship was powered by two vertical triple-expansion steam engines, supplied by 30 Bellevillewater-tube boilers, driving two shafts. These engines generated 16,500 indicated horsepower (12,300kW) and propelled the ship to 21.6 knots (40.0km/h; 24.9mph).[1] Up to 1,253 long tons (1,273t) of coal could be carried, giving a range of 4,580 nautical miles (8,480km; 5,270mi) at 8 knots (15km/h; 9.2mph).[2]
Operational history
While O'Higgins was nearing completion at Elswick in the winter of 1897, tensions were growing between Spain and the United States of America over the ongoing rebellion in Cuba. Rumours circulated that Spain was trying to strengthen its navy in case of war with the United States by purchasing warships from other countries. The rumoured targets for Spain included O'Higgins, the newly completed Chilean armoured cruiser Esmeralda and the protected cruiser Ministro Zenteno also nearing completion for Chile at Elswicks.[6] As the outbreak of the Spanish–American War became more likely, the United States also attempted to supplement its fleet by purchasing, amongst other ships, O'Higgins,[7] but the negotiations did not result in the sale of the Chilean warship, and O'Higgins arrived at Valparaiso on 25 July 1898.[4][nb 2]
In the foreground, Federico Errázuriz (right) and Julio Roca (left) on the deck of the cruiser O'Higgins
In 1919, O'Higgins was fitted with a floatplane that could be lowered to and from the sea for operations by crane. On 12 March 1920, O'Higgins collided with the Chilean cargo shipSS Llai Llai at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Llai Llai sank.[10] An aircraft crashed into O'Higgins on 24 August 1920, killing the pilot.[5] The ship was refitted twice, in 1919–1920 and 1928–29.[11]
In 1931, O'Higgins was involved in the large scale mutiny that swept the Chilean fleet, being seized by its crew on 1 September 1931.[12]
O'Higgins was decommissioned in 1933[5] and scrapped in 1958.[5][nb 3]
↑ Sometimes written as General O'Higgins[2][3] or erroneously Almirante O'Higgins in the US media.,[4] for O'Higgins was never an Almirante.
↑ The United States did manage to purchase two Armstrong-built protected cruisers from Brazil, which served as USSNew Orleans and USSAlbany, the former serving in the Spanish–American War.[8][9]
↑ Sources differ as to when O'Higgins was disposed of. Chesneau and Kolesnik[1] and Brooke[11] say the ship was discarded in 1946, while Whitley[2] states 1954.
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