July 4, 1925
The Chilean Government issued a request for 8 inch to 21 cm cannon today. The order went out to all nations in the world with very little parameters. It seems the Chileans are using this request to see what everyone else is building in terms of calibers for Cleito Treaty Class A Cruisers.
July 5, 1925
Chile has dispatched the cruisers Esmeralda and Blanco with the destroyer Almirante Riveros out for a patrol near Tierra del Fuego in an attempt to see if there is any unusual activity related to the loss of a larger number of merchantmen in that region in the last four years. Locals did not expect them to find anything, as no one ever has. They say the straits take those whose time has come. However one reporter suggested that the Argentineans have been operating in the area clandestinely to disrupt Chile, but won't come out into a open conflict just yet after the devastating loss inflicted upon them by the Nordmark Royal Navy.
July 14, 1925
The world seems to have responded by offering a large selection of weapons to the Chilean Government. There naval officials and naval architects seem to be reviewing all the available notes to see what weapon system will go with there plans for new vessels. The only individual that does not seem to have been present since the beginning of the month is Mr. Tochiro Oyama, one of Chile's few well known naval architects. An American official asked about him, but his staff says that he has been know to take odd vacations without informing anyone of where he will be.
July 20, 1925
The Chilean Naval Aviation Board was formed to day and immediately set out to get some orders for American designed Naval Planes. The Board is expected to be able to budget out enough money to purchase about 100 aircraft from American manfunactures such as Curtis and Grumman.
August 2, 1925
The Cruisers O'Higgins, Negro and their escorting destroyer Capitan Herlock set out today to relieve the Predreadnoughts Coronel Bolognesi and General Baquedano. The Transports Maipo and Rancagua will travel with them to resupply the Collier Angamos and the Destroyer Capitan Avatar which will be staying on station for another four months. Some crew transfers will be in order from the older Destroyers Capitan Thompson and Capitan Orella to the Capitan Avatar for ship type rotation, as the older model destroyers are scheduled to be retired within the next five years.
Naval sources say that this group will head out deeper into the Pacific, stopping at French and British Island bases along the way for coaling and other training. It has been rumored that the French have not been as friendly to the Chilean offers at the British have, but this reporter does not have access to that information.
August 15, 1925
Ordinance sources tell us that the Chilean government has narrowed its choices in the bidding for 8 inch to 21 cm cannon barrels to sources in Japan, Italy, South Africa, and Russia. Mr. Oyama, who has suddenly reappeared in Santiago, says he has reservations about some of these weapon systems, and to the designs these guns are to be fitted. He has expressed some interest in the Japanese bid, and is attempting to convince the government to take part of that offer, but drop most of the remainder of the bids, as the 8 inch barrel is "too small for a real armored cruiser".
August 16, 1925
The Cruiser O'Higgins and her escorts arrived to late yesterday at the Pitcairn Islands. There was a brief exchange by from the deployment officer on the Battleship General Baquedano to the captain of the O'Higgins before the two Battleships steamed for home with the transport Maipo. Transport Rancagua will stay with this deployment it seems based on reports from the predreadnought crews of needing more supplies. Mr. Gerold Romeriz of the Naval Board transfered from the General Baquedano tot he O'Higgins to maintain his position as representative of the Chilean Government.
August 17, 1925
The Cruiser O'Higgins, the Destroyer Capitan Herlock and the Collier Angamos set out late this evening for Port Moresby. The crew of the cruiser does not know what to expect from the local government around French Polynesia as they sail through that area.
August 24, 1925
A wireless communication from the Cruiser O'Higgins suggests the reception my the French Colonials was less than hospitable. It seems the local coastal patrol did not like having a pair of South American warships sail so close to Papeete. While the patrol did not fire on the Chilean vessels, the impression was that if they had had a larger, more heavily armed patrol ship, they would have. The Chilean Government is perplexed by this reception, and the French foreign office is equally confused. It seems that the locals near French Polynesia have something worrying them, and they aren't saying what it is at this time.
September 9, 1925
Cruiser O'Higgins, the Destroyer Capitan Herlock, and the Collier Angamos has arrived in Port Moresby. However there seems to be an edge on this visit as well as near Papeete. While the locals seem to have nothing against the Chileans, and seem perfectly fine around the O'Higgins, and the Angamos, they seem wary of the destroyer. The Chileans guess there may have been some locals that have had problems with Nordmark, as the destroyer is a Nordmark built model. The O'Higgins and crew intend to refuel here as the British seem to keep this port well stocked. The Chileans will operate as part of the port's defense and patrol forces until September 17, when the force will head for Singapore.
September 10, 1925
Sources in Santiago have reported that the SATSUMA nations have denied sale of a newer type of 8 inch guns to Chile from Japan. Some word has spread about some agency named FINK, but this reports can't say he has heard about it before. Mr. Oyama was upset by this turn of events and headed out towards Puerto Montt escorted by a tall woman with long flowing red hair.
September 12, 1925
The Port Authority at Puerto Montt had an incident today with a free-trader running out of port at full speed. The Destroyers Almirante Williams and Almirante Goni were dispatched to locate the trade vessel but it was not found. The Port Authority believe this ship's captain to be some sort of foreign agent. The vessel was registered as the Queen Emeraldas, but this is believed to be a false name, and that the ship was in fact a cleverly disguised warship, as it seems to have outrun the destroyers. The real Queen Emeraldas has been a known free-trader, and does look similar to the vessel that run out late at night, but it has never given any problems to Chile in the past, nor is it that fast of a vessel.
September 13, 1925
In a statement from the Navy, the board has approved the Martinez design for the new Armoured Cruiser Tylor over the Oyama designed vessel, as Mr. Tochiro Oyama did not come to the board today to present his model. No one has been able to find Mr. Oyama for comment. He was last reported being in Puetro Montt, but no other information is know.
September 15, 1925
The Chilean Government has come to an agreement with the Italian Government on the issue of the delivery of 30 barrels of 8 inch/53 caliber guns. These weapons will be used on some new Cruiser class, including the newly approved Tylor .
(8 barrels by June 30, 1926 with the rest delivered by December 1927 for 0.1 ipc)
September 17, 1925
Cruiser O'Higgins and company head out of Port Moresby to head to Singapore to complete more of Chile's supply and protect deal with Great Britain.
September 25, 1925
Filipino Third Destroyer Flotilla came out to escort the Chilean Cruiser O'Higgins , Destroyer Captian Herlock and Collier Angamos through the Sulu Sea today. The crews exchanged a few gifts even if the Filipinos seemed a little wary of having the O'Higgins' 8 inch guns near them. In talking with the Captain of the Cruiser Palawan the Chilean government's representative Mr. Gerold Romeriz gave the Filipinos a proposal for the lease of the Panabo -class Battleship design to the Chilean Navy.
September 23, 1925
Destroyer Capitan Avatar, patrolling out from the Pitcairn Islands spotted a vessel matching the description of the ship that ran out of Puerto Montt in the 14th of September. The vessel could not be intercepted as the Avatar was on her way back in for resupply.
September 28, 1925
The Navy reports that the Transports Maipo and Rancagua will switch positions at Talcahuano sometime in the next two weeks.
September 29, 1925
Cruiser O'Higgins and company successfully arrived in Singapore today. The crew is scheduled for a little leave time while in Singapore, and will start active patrols of the South China Sea within the next week.
September 30, 1925
Rumors of a fast cruiser operating in the mid-Pacific have reached the ears of those operating out of the Pitcairn Islands. From reports, this ship has a shadow of death around it. Chilean government sources see these as unfounded rumors, as there has not been an increase in lost shipping in recent years in that part of the Pacific. The Cruiser Negro has been put on alert, but no odd ships have been seen since the sighting on the 23rd of September by the Capitan Avatar....
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Why are the Chileans anywhere near the western Pacific?
Tuesday, June 4th 2024, 9:50pm
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