The morning call., 1891-09-16
GREAT BRIrAIN,s NAVY.


GREAT BRITAIN's NAVY.
Her Armored War Ships and Volunteer
Merchant Marine.
The immense navy Of Great Britain con-
sists of fully $50 vessels. and is divided into
classes as follows:
The turret ships number Is, all Of them
over 5000 tons displacement. They are
covered with steel armor varying from u to
IS inches in thickness, and are armel with
high-power guns of from II to 16 inches
calIber aud weighing from 30 t. 100 tons,
placed in the turrets.
In addition to these each ship carries a
large number OF guns varying from to 9
inches in calber to be usei as broadside
guns, while the bridges, tops of the turrets
aES, mastheads bristle with rapid-tire aud
machine guns. This class of vessels carry
a large amount of coal and can remain at
sea for from 20 t 80 days without coaling,
and are able to steam from II to 16 knots an
hour.
TURRET RAMS
This class Of ships are similar to the turret
ships, except that they are not so large,
having a displacement Of 5000 tons, and are
fitted with powerful rams. England pos
sesSes four of this class, each covered with
armor foot thick, and arme / with two T.
inch guns and powerful battery of rapid
FIRE and machine guns. These vessels have
a medium coal capacity and can steam from
Il to 10 knots an hour.
BARBETTE SHIPS.
In this class are sixteen of the largest war
ships afioat, six Of them having tonnage of
10000, and the other ten be ing each of Il. 600
tons displacement. These vessels are the
pride Of England's navy. and are claimed to
be The best fighting ships atiOat.
This formidable squadron carries no less
than 62 guns, all of l3h-iuch caliber, while
in the secondary battery there are large
number of cannon varying from 6 to 10
inches in caliber, and no end of rapid fire
and machine guns. They are protected with
steel armOr of great thickness, that around
the Yitals Of the ships being nearly 20 inches
thick. These vessels were designed to keep
the sea for long time, aud for this reason
have a very large coal capacity aud nearl y
all Of them can steam IS knots an hour.
CENTRAL BATTERY.
This class OF ships number eleven and de-
rive their name from the fact that the heavy
guns are carried in batteries placed amid
ships. Their displacement ranges from
5000 to 5000 tons, and they are protected
with armor varying from to II inches in
thickness, and are armed with l06 guns, va
IYing from to Il inches caliber. These
Bnips carry very large secO ndary battery,
and are we'll supplied with Tapid-fre and
machine guns. They have medium coal.
carrying capacity and can steam from u TO
t6 knots.
Each of the ships in the above classes car
ri 8 one or more fast steam launches, de-
signed to be used as tOrpedo-bOats and to
act rs guard-boafs in time of war. The
vessels are also fitted up with the most ap-
proved appliances in the way of electric
search lights and torpedo nets. and carry a
large number of torpedoes for use in the
Al ~. ha IL fV.re eInV.,
selves.
ARMoRED CRUISERS.
In this class are six vessels, ranging from
1000 to 5000 tons displacement, specially
designed to cruise at sea for long time and
have large coal-carrying capacity. They
are protected by armor from to 10 inches
thick, and the six ships carry twenty-eight
guns, varying from to 10 inches In caliber,
with powerful battery of and s inch high
power guns. Rapid-fre and machine guns
are carried in the tops and on the bridges,
and the vessels have speed of from II to
II knots an hour. Electric search lights
and fast steam launches also form part of
their equipment and they are we'll supplied
with torpedOes, both for ship and boat use.
BELTED CRUISERS.
The seven vessels comprised in this class
were built expressly for fast cruising and
are protected by a belt of armor 10 inches
thick from stem to stern, extending short
distance below the water line. Each vessel
carries two guns of 9h inches caliber,
weighing tweuty-four tons and powerful
secondary battery of 6-inch guns, besides an
immense number of rapid-fre and machine
guns for use in the tops, on the bridges and
in the boats Each ship is fitted with four
powerful electric search lights and carries
Two fast steam launches that can be used as
torpedo boats. These vessels are fitted with
several torpedo tubes for discharging
tOrpedoes under wafer. AS the vessels
Nwere built for fast steaming they have
powerful engines, capable OF driving them
Is knots an hour without forced draught.
BRoADsIDE SHIPS.
TIE eight ships comprising this class
range from 5000 to 10000 tons, and are only
plated with armor about five inches thick.
They belong to the older class OF ships, and
have only small coal-carrying capacity
and a speed of from twelve TO fourteen
knots an hour, The eight vessels mount
sixty-fye guns of nine inches ealiber, aud
are fitted with a large number OF smaller
guns, both rapid fire and machine. All
carry search lights and fast steam launches,
and are all stationed either in the East
Indies or China.
COAST DEFENSE SLIPS.
OF this class Of vessels England has
thirteen, ranging from 1000 to 5000 TONS
They are low speed ships, aud can only
steam from eight to twelve miles an hour
They are well protected with armur, vary
ing from eight TO twelve inches In thick
ness, and are armed with high-i over guns,
ten inches ealiber. The thirteen ships carry
forty-six of these powerful guns and few
machine and rapid-fre guns for close quar-
ters.
This class of guns were designed to pro-
tect the harbOrs of Great Britain, and are
scattered around In the principal seaports
along the coast
DEcK-PRoTEcTED CRUISERS.
In this class of vessels England possesses
. fleet that were especially designed to de-
groy an enemy's commerce. The thirty
five vessels comprising this fleet include ten
or twelve that can steam fully twenty-five
knots an hour. and all OF them can show
speed Of over eighteen knots. All have
very large coal capacity, and, if necessary.
could steam around the world without stop
ping to coal. In most of this class speed
has been the principal object in view, and to