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 1987 and completed on 2 April 1898.