Destroyers for Chile
During World War One, the RN took over of six warships under construction for the Chilean government in British shipyards. Unlike incomplete warships from other nations which were summarily expropriated, the Chilean vessels were purchased on the understanding that they would be delivered on completion of hostilities.
The battleship Almirante Latorre was therefore completed for service as HMS Canada, and after serving with the Grand Fleet, was delivered to Chile in 1920 where she served under her original name until 1959. Her sister-ship Almirante Cochrane had also been taken over by the RN and converted into the aircraft carrier Eagle. After World War One Chile negotiated for Eagle to also be returned to Chile, but the Chilean desire for Eagle to be reconverted into a battleship was impractical. Britain’s offer of two I class battle cruisers in lieu of Eagle was not accepted for financial reasons, and Chile eventually accepted five submarines as compensation for the Almirante Cochrane (a sixth was purchased by the Chilean Government. Four destroyers under construction at the J Samuel White shipyard in Cowes were also taken over and completed for RN service. One (HMS Tipperary) was lost at the Battle of Jutland, and the remaining three were ultimately delivered to Chile in 1920.
On 30 September 1926, the Secretary to Austen Chamberlain referred to a request by the Chilean Government to be allowed to purchase further ex-British destroyers as a consequence of the arrangements made during the war. The British Government concluded that there was no case for approaching the other signatory powers of the Washington Treaty to seek permission to meet the Chilean request, and the request was therefore declined.