 By 1912, the need for additional battleships had become apparent, and Prime Minister José Canalejas pushed for a new law authorizing another group of three ships.After Canelejas was assassinated later that year, his successor, Álvaro de Figueroa and the naval minister, Amalio Gimeno, secured passage of the "Plan de la Segunda Escuadra" (Second Squadron Plan).The plan projected a second squadron of three dreadnoughts to supplement the "España" class, along with a pair of scout cruisers, nine destroyers, and three submarines.