In 1909 was the Spanish cabinet accused of abuse of her office while given the order for building a new fleet and naval yards to the British firm Vickers despite better tenders. In this newspaper was paid several times attention to this issue which ended in an approval of the order.
On 5 February reported this newspaper that according to the Spanish newspaper Epoca the Spanish cabinet had decided to order the British firm Vickers to built a new fleet. Tenders from France, Italy and the USA were rejected.(1)
In the edition dated 17 April 1909 were also some details supplied. In the official Spanish Government newspaper was the Royal Decision published which ordered the building of a new fleet and the founding of yards and so on at Ferrol and Cartagena by a Spanish firm which was in fact a hide mantle for the British firm Vickers Sons and Maxim.
Four days later was reported that the navy auditor Macias required from the parliament that she accused the cabinet for giving an order to the British firm Vickers Maxim to built a new fleet.
The next day wrote the journalist that the Spanish cabinet was accused that she handled not correctly with ordering the building of warships by a British firm. According to the item were there all several days discussion in the parliament. The Spanish Prime Minister Maura said on 21 April that he was nothing afraid for a discussion dealing with this issue, in contrary it was a wish of him to be able to make clear that the cabinet wasn’t to blame.
The edition dated 26 April reported that there was a meeting of the parliament the day before. As a result of censorship were abroad not all details known. Macias was questioned but refused to prove his accusations as long as he was hold prisoner.
According to edition dated 28 April accused a honour court consisting of high navy officers condemned Macias to leaving the military service. Macias accused the cabinet of anus of office when she gave the order for building a new fleet to the British firm Vickers. The cabinet reacted furiously in this affair by threatening newspapers with censorship, arresting several men and preparing the streets with sand for eventual using cavalry against the common people. Still the Dutch journalist wondered if the accusations against the cabinet were not false what would happen. The ships to be delivered by Vickers were regarded armament, armour and seaworthiness of much lesser quality as the ships offered by French and Spanish yards.
In the edition dated 1 May was reported that Ruiz Delarbot a former Spanish navy captain but now member of the Senate proposed to withdraw the order given to the firm Vickers to built the new squadron.
The Espana
In her edition dated 18 June was reported that the contract between the cabinet and the British firm Vickers-Maxim definitely was signed. The work was to start at Ferrol for which 3,000 labourers were used.
Note
1. The Cortes approved the Navy Law of 7 January 1908 which should give Spain a new modern navy and yards. There were for instance three 15,000 tons battleships to be build. This must be the Espana-class consisting of the Espana, Alfonso XIII and Jaime I laid down between 1909-1912 and completed between 1913 and 1921! They had a displacement of 14,452 (normal)-15,700 (maximum) tons.
No comments:
Post a Comment