Norwegian Battleships

[World B4]

In 1905 there were rumors of the Norwegian aquiring two battleships from the Argentineans, via Peter Christophersen. They would have supposedly been named the Asbjornsen and the Moe. The questions I have are would they have just been the Independencia and Libertad, and if so what modifications, if any, were proposed, or would the Argentineans have bought the battleships elsewhere and sold them to Norway? If anyone has illustrations they would be welcomed.

 

[DWG]

I can't see any reason for Norway to have used Argentina as a proxy in the purchase of battleships, it was able to buy quite happily from the British yards for Coastal BBs like Bjorgvin and Nidaros (aka Glatton and Gorgon).

There were shenanigans around the Argentinian armoured cruisers, but that was to do with selling them on and disguising who they were potentially going to. Apparently Argentina did look at selling Rivadavia and Moreno in 1903, but the US pressured them not to.

 

[Kugelblitz]

The Independecias would have been a desperate acqusition, with thoroughly obsolete compund armour and very slow firing main guns, but it might have been what Norwegian finances were good for at the time. Substantial loans were needed for the 4 armoured ships and 20-something torpedo boats acquired late 1890s to 1905. With the peaceful dissulution of the Union with Sweden in 1905 they would have lost interest in armoured ships for the time being.
Could the Garibaldis have been called battleships, the Argentines been willing to sell and the Norwegians able to afford them? (2 (new) g´Garibaldis would be more expensive than the 4 amoured ships had been.