British Armstrong design No. 702l dated 12 April 1911. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
In a memorandum dated 22 December 1910 reported the Third Assistant Secretary that a certain Mr. Abner Reed Neff called at his office that morning asking from more details about the building of three battleships by Portugal as mentioned in a newspaper. The Secretary was not aware of such plans but promised to let known if he had got more information. A day later asked a representative of the Cramps’Shipyard the same. The same day sent Department of State a telegram to the legation that according to rumors the Portuguese Provisional Government (1) wanted to built warships (scratched out three battleships dreadnought-class. If the rumors were true were American shipbuilding interests interested in competing for contracts. The legation was to make discrete enquiry and report by cable. A telegram next day informed the chargé d’affaires ad interim Lorillard that the Portuguese government had at the moment not such plans.
On 27 December 1910 wrote the chargé d’affaires ad interim that he had spoken with the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs referring to an interview with the Minister of Marine published in the press. The latter minister suggested that the navy would be increased. Mr. Machado however made clear that the Portuguese government could not afford to order new warships neither intended to contract a loan for this purpose. If in the future was decided to built new warships promised he to inform the legation and that American shipsbuilders were permitted to compete for contracts. The Chief of Staff of the navy, who was a personal friend of Lorillard and others connected with the Navy Department assured him that the rumors were without foundation. On the other hand was a large quantity of war material to be ordered and a representative of Whitehead was at Lisbon to secure the contract.
On 23 January 1911 he wrote the Secretary again dealing with the rumors and referring to his letter of 27 December. He spoke two days earlier the Minister of Marine admiral Azevedo Gomes and asked him what was the truth of the rumors. According to the minister was the whole subject of increasing the navy handed over to a commission of naval affairs and was waiting for their report. Personnally wanted he to have 6-12,000 tons battleships and smaller vessel.s The Council of Ministers had still not even discussed the subject. He was aware that Portugal could possible even not afford a single battleship and that the majority of the ministers opposed contracting a loand for that purpose. His indiviual plan was to find some foreign shipyards able to afford and willing to receive payment in very small installments with 5% annual interest on the expended capital. A sinking fund was already institued for increasing war material for the army and the navy but the deposited amount was so small that years would pass before the fund could be used for paying the interest of the capital needed for the six battleships. Lorillard asked if it had any sense if American shipbuilders would sent a repsentative to discuss the subject with him. The minister replied to be glad to meet American shipsbuilders competing for the contract but at the moment there was noting to do and decisions about new warshipswere not made until after the Assembly would come together in 4 or 5 months. Lorillard wrote the Secretary that although nothing was to be decide on short notice it might be well to sent representatives by American interested companies. On the other hand he thought that none American company would accept the suggested payment. British shipbuilders built until now all Portuguese warships and for this fact and other reasons had a decided advantage over other competitors for any possible contracts.
Next day sent he sent a telegram to the Secretary of State informing that the Portuguese Minister for Foreign Affairs said that such pressure had brought to bear that Portugal was obliged to let warships built in England without an open competition. Portugal wanted also to build new port works and/or interested in a loan of the needed money and that German were competing but that Portugal preferred Americans.
The Third Assistant Secretary wrote on 26 January 1911 to Mr. Osborne that the Department decided to make no special efforts to secure the contracts for the battleships to be built by the Portuguese government but he thought that it “might be well to get out a confidential letter to some of our big contractors such as Mac Arthur and Company informing them of the new port works” to be built by the Portuguese government.
With a letter of the US Legation at Lisbon dated 18 December 1911 received the Secretary of State a translation of a proposal of the Portuguese Minister of Navy dealing with increasing the fleet as published in the Diaro de Noticias. The plan could only be realized with a foreign loan so interested bankers needed active support of their governments. It included the building of 3 armored cruisers each of 20,000 tons, maximum horsepower 28,000 hp, minimum speed 21.5 knots, maximum protection in the armoured part and steel plating 9-10 inches/23.4-25cm, sides above the protected portion minumum 7 inch/17,87cm, protected deck 7.6cm, turrets maximum 9”/23.4cm and costs of each cruiser 8,100,000,00 dollars. Armament consisted of 8-34.4cm cal 45 guns, 14-15cm cal 50 guns, 8-7.6cm cal 50 guns and 2 torpedo tubes. Total costs of the three ships was 24,300,000,00 US dollars.(2)
Notes
1. As a result of the 5 October 1910 Revolution was between October 1910-August 1911 was in Portugal a Provisional Government established and led by president Teófilo Braga, minister of Foreign Affairs was Bernardino Machado and Minister of Marine Amaro de Justiano Azvedo Gomes (19 January 1852 Piedade-3 December 1920 Lisbon)
2. British Armstrong design No. 702 battleship dated 12 April 1911. Displacement 19,750 tons and as dimensions 510 (between perpendiculars)-547 (over all) x 83 x 24.5 feet. Bunker capacity 700-2,000 ton coal and 800 ton oil, speed 21 knots. Armament 5x2-12” cal 45 guns, 20x1-4.7” 50 cal guns, 4-3” 50 cal guns and 2-21” torpedo tubes submerged.
Sources
Record Group 64: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration Series: Records of the Department of State Relating to Internal Affairs of Portugal. Military Affairs and the Army: 853.20 - 853.206/7 THRU Naval Affairs, Navy, Naval Vessels: Equipment and Supplies: 853.34 - 853.348. Microcopy 705 roll 13
Brasseys Naval Annual 1912 and 1913.
Breyer, Siegfried. Schlachtschiffe und Schlachtkreuzer 1905-1970.
Brook, Peter, “Armstrongs Unbuilt Warships”, Warship 1997-1998.
Brook, Peter. Warships for Export: Armstrong Warships 1867-1927.
Friedman, Norman. The British Battleship 1906-1946.
Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
Brook, Peter. Warships for Export: Armstrong Warships 1867-1927.
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