CHILIAN BATTLESHIP.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 843, 15 June 1910, Page 5

CHILIAN BATTLESHIP.

ORDEE IN ENGLAND. By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright, London, June 13. The Chili Government has given an order to Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., Elswick, for the construction of a big battleship. LOSING OF ARGENTINE ORDERS. A sister Republic, Argentina, is, according to a London journal, building two Dreadnoughts in the United States. Both vessels will bo built by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company, of Massachusetts, at an' inclusive cost of J2,200,000 each. The history of the negotiations, and how it was that the English firms were beaten, was told by Admiral Garcia, head of the Argentine Commission in London:— "At first tenders were invited from shipbuilding firms in all countries—from some fifteen firms altogether—among that number being several English firms. But the prices were too high. Eight firms, including three English, were asked to tender again. Again the prices were not what we wished, and a third tender was asked for from five firms. These five included two English firms— Messrs. Vickers, Sons, and Maxim, and Messrs. Armstrong, Whitworth, aud Co. —ono American firm, one Italian, and one German. These firms were told that my Government fixed the price of the two battleships at .£2,200,000 each, and no more. "When the final tenders were received that from the American firm was the lowest. The Italian and the. German firms both tendered at about the price we gave, whereas the English firms were above it. They were nearly .0150,000 above the figures fixed as the limit, and .6180,000 above the price of the American firm."