The "Minas Geraes" class, spelled "Minas Gerais" in some sources, consisted of two battleships built for the Brazilian Navy in the early twentieth century. Named "Minas Geraes" and "Sao Paulo" , the ships were intended to be Brazil's first step towards becoming an international power, and they consequently initiated a South American naval arms race.
Does this next sentence follow, given the preceding text?
The ships were often chased by pirates.
It's impossible to say