The sun., 1898-06-19

the CnflstoDal Colon, OF the Spanish
navy. They are vessels of 6,S4O tons
and 20 knots speed, with a 6-inch belt
and citadel and an armament of two 10
inch, ten 6-inch and six 4.7-inch rapid
frers.
Austria-llungary possesses the Kal-
serin Maria Theresia, 5,270 tons, 10
knots, 4-inch belt, and armament OF two
9.4 and eight SO rapid d-drers She is
also constructing an armored cruiser of
6,l0O tons, l0l-inch belt and 20 knots
speed, to carry the same armament as
the vessel just mentioned.
Chile possesses in the Esmeralda re-
markable vessel of 1920 tons, which to
finch belt and extremely powerful bat
terry OF two S-inch rapid-frers, sixteen g.
inch and eight 3-inch rapid frers adds
the high speed of % knots an hour.
Such ship, preying upon an enemy's
commerce, would prove to be the Ala
bama of her day. Another powerful ar
mored cruiser is being built for this enter
prising Republic by the Armstrong;, the
firm that built the Esmeralda. This ia
the O. Higgins, Of which we have lately
heard so much. She is $500 tens dis
placement and ~ knots speed and will
carry 1900 tons of coal. Her belt is 7
inches thick and she carries an arma-
ment of four S-inch rapid-firers, ten t.
inch, four 4.7-inch and ten 3-inch rapid
firers. The S-inch rapid-iier can fire
from three to four shots per minute, so
these guns conld discharge as many
shells per minute as dozen S-inch slow
fire guns.
France is already we'll provided with
armored cruisers, and her new ships are
to be nearly all Of the armored type.
The Charner, Bruix and Treville, of
about 1880 tons and 1873 knots speed,
carry 34-inch belt and an armament of
two 7.6-inch and six 5.5-inch rapid-fire
guns. The Pothuan $3.50 tons, 1872
knots, is armed with two 7.6-inch and
ten 5.5-inch guns and has 3s-inch belt
The Dupuy de LONE, 6, 4O6 tons, 20 knots
speed, is completely sheathed from stem
to stern and up to the top deck with 4
inches of steel. Her armament is similar
to that of the Bruiz. It is in new con-
struction, however. that the French are
showing the high value they put upon
the armored cruiser type. No less than
nine of these vessels, the smallest of
| WAlCiI - VI t,'Oo VoIls NioPifaeOlHC1V Shu
none of less than q knots speed, are
either building proposed. The Duplex
and kleber, each Of 200 tons and 2l
knots, will carry 6-inch belt. They
will have battery of ten 6.4-inch rapid
fire guns of great power. The six great
ships Of the Dupetit Thouars class will
be OF 9,Si7 tons and q knots speed.
They will be armed with two 7.6-inch,
eight 6. 4-inch and four 3.9-inch rapid
fire guns. They can carry normal sup
ply of l,O2O tons of coal, in addition to a
supply OF liquid fuel. Not content with
this the French have laid down large
armored vessel of II ,27O tons, the Jeanne
d Arc, which is to steam at % knots and
carry a normal coal supply of 400 tons.
The armament will consist OF two rs,
eight 5.5 and twelve 80 rapid fire guns,
and she will have s inch belt.
Germany is building the Furst Bis
march, of 1865 tons and 10 knots. She
is to have 73-inch belt and carry four
9.4, twelve 50 and ten "a guns,
all. including the 8. 9.4-inch, to be rapid
frers.
Italy possesses two armored cruisers of
$500 tons and 20 knots speed, which
carry 6-inch belt and an armament of
twelve 6.inch and six 4.7-inch rapid
firers; one armored cruiser OF 1883 tons
and 10 knots and she is building two
sister ships to the Cristobal Colon
(Spanish), which was constructed in
Italy.
Japan is also in the fashi n in the con-
struction of two $3.50 ton armored
cruisers of 2ll knots speed and Il third
of 8, 1876 tons and 2l! knots. The arma-
ment of each will consist of fonr S.lnch
ra|id-frers. fourteen 6-inch and twelve
3.inch rapid frcrs.
| 1t was r lssia who few years ago
started the construction of huge ar
mired cruisers by building the Rurik, of
10, 923 tons and Is knots speed. She has
10 inch belt and an armament cf four
s. inch, sixteen 6 inch and six 4.7-inch
guns, all slnw-lirers, with Il maximum
coal supply OF 1000 tons. She followed
this with The R)ssia, -, lHD tons, l0inch
belt, 90 knots speed and similar arm: -
ment, except that it consists of rapid
| iirels. She also possesses the Pamyat
Azova, 6,000 tons, 9inch belt and 1873
knots speed. Two others are author
ized, one OF $500 tons and 20 knots az
the other of 1876 tons and 81 knots
speed and it is reported that the fast
| 5000 ton cruiser to be butt by tie
Cramps is to be OF the armored type.
Spain, our present antagonist, is rela-
lively by far the strongest in this type OF
ship of all the nations. She has either
built or just completed nine large and
fast armored ships, inclnding the Carlos
V. of 0,235 tons, 2-inch belt, 20 knots
speed and armament of two II inch,
eight So inch, four 3.9.inch rapidtire
guns; two of the Christobal Colon type,
of 6. $40 TONS 20 knots speed, q inch belt
and citadel, and armament of two 10
inch ten G-inch and six A. inch rapid
frcrs; and six If the Vizcaya type, OF
1000 tons, 20 knots speed, Finch belt
and armament Of two lI-ihch and ten
5.5-i'ch rapid,tire guns.
| In general it may be said that the
fleets nl armored cruisers in the navies
of the world especially those recently
laid down or authorized, are character
lied by high speed, exccwi,naIv levy
armament, in which the rapid tipr pre-
d,u,inates, and great Goa carrying
capacity. 1t is evident that this is to be
the prevailing type Of ship IN the cruiser
class TIE decision to build these ves-
sel-, and to build t'pn ir large numbers,
is evidently nnannrus as far as the
foreign naval powers, great and small,