«A Source of Modest Comfort» : The investments of Vickers Ltd. in Spain, 1897-1936

Abstract

Spain was one of the countries where Vickers, the big English armament multinational, had important interests during the first third of the twentieth century. Vickers involvement in Spain was focused in firms such as Placencia de las Armas, Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval (SECN), Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA) and Experiencias Industriales SA (EISA) and was in some case accomplished in joint venture with J. Brown and Sir W G. Armstrong. Viclcers furnished capital, technology and technical & managerial support to SECN. From its participation in SECN Vickers got dividends, technical fees, important shares of the Spanish market and privileges information for an effective surveillance of its interests in Spain.