▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁and ▁first ▁contact ed ▁Arm strong ▁Whit worth ▁about ▁the ▁possibility ▁of ▁acqu iring ▁the ▁dread n ought ▁Rio ▁de ▁Janeiro , ▁then ▁under ▁construction ▁for ▁the ▁Brazil ian ▁Navy , ▁along ▁with ▁, ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁commission ed ▁into ▁the ▁Brazil ian ▁fleet ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 0 . ▁These ▁de als ▁fell ▁through , ▁so ▁the ▁Ott om ans ▁contact ed ▁V ick ers ▁to ▁order ▁two ▁new ▁batt les hips . ▁Douglas ▁Gam ble , ▁who ▁had ▁previously ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁naval ▁advis er ▁to ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁government , ▁prepared ▁two ▁designs , ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁which ▁was ▁ordered ▁as ▁Me h med ▁Re ş ad ▁V ; ▁during ▁construction , ▁this ▁ship ▁was ▁renamed ▁Re ş adi ye . ▁A ▁second ▁ship , ▁to ▁be ▁named ▁F ati h ▁Sultan ▁Me h med , ▁was ▁ordered ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁ ▁Order ing ▁the ▁Re ş adi ye ▁class ▁started ▁a ▁significant ▁naval ▁arms ▁race ▁between ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁and ▁Greece . ▁The ▁Greek ▁Navy ▁ordered ▁the ▁batt les hip ▁ ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁in ▁response , ▁which ▁prompt ed ▁the ▁Ott om ans ▁to ▁res ume ▁their ▁bid ▁for ▁Rio ▁de ▁Janeiro . ▁The ▁contract ▁to ▁purchase ▁the ▁ship , ▁to ▁be ▁renamed ▁S ult ân ▁O sm ân - ı ▁Ev vel , ▁was ▁signed ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁This ▁in ▁turn ▁prov oked ▁the