Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-02
SPANS ARMORED CRUISERS.
An English Authority Says They Are
SecOnd-Class Battle Ships.

An English Authority Says They Are
SecOnd-Class Battle Ships.
From the London Engineer.
The admission of vessels into the cate
gerry of armored cruisers is governed SO
much by individual fancy that the term is
in many cases very misleading 1t might
well be divided into at least three SUBJ
heads or else abolished altogether. for at
present variations are so>great that COM
Parsons between ships designated as Ear
mored cruisers are well-nigh impossible
Ihere are cruisers, all called "aEmored,"
without any other distinctions: "a With ar
NOR on both guns and belt; CD with armor
on belt only; G) with armor on the guns
only. To the latter class the Spanish cruis-
er Carlos belongs, but as 4 general-and
quite unreasonable-rule, ships with armor
for the guns only, like our Powerfuls, are
cassed as first-class protected cruisers,
While thin 3-inch belt will dignity them
with the title of ermored cruiser. If we
compare the majority of Spar cruisers
the Vizcaya and Infanta Maria Teresa
class, with their battle ship Pelayo, we see
that the sole difference between them is
that where the Pelayo has belt all round
her, the Vizcayas have a partial belt for
three-quarters of their length and bulk
heads. The Pelayo has, of course, four big
guns against their two, but then she is the
bigger ship.
In both cases the guns are fdeutically
protected, narrow barbette, with nothing
below save an armored hoist In each case
thin shield covers the gun breech-a
foolish thing probably. since 1t is just sufti-
oiently thick to burst she'll and far too
thin to keep anything out.
We find, therefore. that to all intents and
purposes the Spanish Vizcaya class are bat
tie ships of the second class. slightly ar
mcred, 1t Is true. yet with more armor
than the Italian Lepanto carries, since
that 'ironclad" has no belt at ALL A YES
sci which-save that she has a pinch ar
NOR over the quick-fire guns-is Identical
to the Italian Lepanto in the arrangement
Of armor is the Carlos ". She has no belt.
but very thick deck-6 inches-her big
guns in fore and aft barbettes alone are
armored. The arrangement of guns is, of
course. quite different to the Lepanto.s,
This idea is that belt of coal and cellu-
lose, with a thick deck below 1t. is equal
to a heavy belt of armor. 80 far as pro-
tecttng the engines goes this is true; and
It may prove true in other ways. At the
best, belt is only strip. liable to pene-
tratfon above and below in a sea, way
The Cristobal Colon could, and no doubt
will. 'Iie in the line" IL there Is a naval
action; she Is proof against every sort of
shell. Except her and the Pedro dAragon,
now building. which carry 10-inch guns, ali
the Spanish armored cruisers carry q
couple OF 11-inch guns; very good pieces,
able to penetrate all the armor on the
American battle ships. guns.
The Cristobal Colon, originally Giuseppe
Garibald II, Is Of $50 tons displacement,
and indicates 14.000 horsepower but
makes only the same speed as the Vizcaya
class. Her main armament consists of two
1O-inch guns and ten 6-inch. and six
47-inch and four torpedo tubes. 30 that
she Is powerful in this respect. She Il pro-
tected by 6-inch belt Of Harveyed steel,
and her guns are similarly provided. Her
deck plating is Ia inches thick. Her nor
NAL coal supply Is 1000 TONS She was
launched at Eestr Ponente In 1895