Chilean cruiser O'Higgins (1897)

Cruiser O'Higgins of the Chilean Navy, painting by Álvaro Casanova Zenteno (1857-1935).
History
Chile
Name:	O' Higgins
Namesake:	Bernardo O'Higgins
Builder:	Armstrong Whitworth, Elswick, United Kingdom
Laid down:	4 April 1896
Launched:	17 May 1897
Completed:	2 April 1898
Fate:	Discarded 1946
General characteristics
Type:	Armoured cruiser
Displacement:	7,796 long tons (7,921 t) standard 8,500 long tons (8,636 t) full load
Length:	126 m (412 ft)
Beam:	19.13 m (62 ft 9 in)
Draught:	6.93 m (22 ft 9 in)
Installed power:	16,250 ihp (12,120 kW)
Propulsion:	Two vertical triple expansion steam engines 30 Belleville boilers 2 shafts
Speed:	21.6 kn (40.0 km/h; 24.9 mph)
Range:	4,580 nmi (8,480 km; 5,270 mi)
Complement:	500
Armament:	4 × 8 in (203 mm)/45-calibre guns (4 × 1) 8 × 6 in (152 mm)/40-calibre guns 4 × 4.7 in (120 mm)/45-calibre guns 10 × 12-pounder guns 10 × 6-pounder guns 2 × machine guns 3 × 18 in (457 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour:	Harvey Nickel steel Belt: 7–5 in (178–127 mm) Deck: 3–1.5 in (76–38 mm) slopes 2–1.5 in (51–38 mm) flats Main turrets 7–5 in (178–127 mm) Secondary turrets and casemates 6–5 in (152–127 mm) Conning tower 8 in (203 mm)

O'Higgins 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.

In April 1896, the Chilean government ordered an armoured cruiser, to be called O'Higgins, from Armstrong, Whitworth & Co to the design of Sir Philip Watts at a cost of £700,000. The ship was laid down at Armstrong's Elswick, Newcastle-on-Tyne shipyard on 4 April 1896, launched on 17 May 1897 and completed on 2 April 1898.

O'Higgins main armament consisted of four 8-inch (203 mm) 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 (152 mm) 40 calibre guns were fitted, with six in casemates and the remaining four in single turrets. Four 4.7-inch (119 mm) 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 (457 mm) torpedo tubes were fitted, with two submerged tubes on the ship's beam and one above the waterline right aft.

The main protection was a belt of armour along the side of the ship, 260 feet (79 m) long and 7 feet (2.1 m) deep, which was 7 inches (178 mm) thick around the ship's machinery, reducing to 6 inches (152 mm) fore and aft. An armoured deck protected the whole length and beam of the ship, with between 3 inches (76 mm) and 1.5 inches (38 mm) thick armour. The ship's hull was clad in copper and wood to reduce fouling.