The Calumet news., 1914-10-02
PATROL OF SEAS
IS FUNCTION OF
The CRUISERS
Watchdogs Of Commerce Are Sec
ond Only to Big Battleships

The work OF cruisers Is TO protect
a nations scaborne commerce Yet so
great is the speed attained by the
modern warship that il has become
necessary to equip cruisers for line
nghting as well as for patrol duty
Hence the development Of this type OF
nghting vessel has brought not only
the armored cruiser and the protected
cruiser. but also the battle-cruiser.
which is capable OF taking its place in
the line OF battle with the battleship
and the dreadnought.
Great Britain. of course with her de-
pendence on outside sources for food
supply. has the strongest fleet OF
cruisers, comprising more than 100
ships. The most important are the
ten battle-cruisers OF the Indefatigable
type The Inhexible, the lndomitable
and the Inylncible are OF 1920 tons
displacement and 41,0O0 horse power
Gurbne) The Indefatigable has "A
displacement Of 1880 tons and $4,000
Ourbine) horse power. The New Zea-
land and the Australia both have Al
600 horse power developed with tur-
bine engines. The displacement OF
the former is 1S,SO0 tons, and of the
latter. 192O0 tons. All these ships
have a speed of 25 knots, an S-inch
armor belt, ten inches big gun pro-
lection and a coal capacity OF $500
tons Their armament is eight l2-nch
guns, sixteen 4-inch quick-fre guns
Ave machine guns and five torpedo
tubes.
Three Of Same Type.
The Lion and the Princess Royal,
launched i'm 1912. ana the Queen Mary
in 1913, are alike, except Queen Mary
has p. 900 tons displacement and $4,000
horse power. The other two have 20
$50 tons displacement. 7O.0O0-horse
power and $500 tons coal capacity. All
three have a speed Of 2S knots armor
belt OF 9.75 inches ond ten inches pro-
lection for the big guns. There are
eight l2-inch, twelve 4-inch Quick-fre,
five machine guns and two torpedo
tubes.
This years battle-cruiser, the Tiger,
has $4,000 tons displacement, 10000
horse power, 80 knots speed, 10.75-inch
armor belt and 11-inch protection FOR
the big guns. She has eight l3.5-inch,
twelve 6-inch quick-h fire and five ma
chine guns Her coal capacity is 1000
tons
Resides these latest cruisers, Eng
land has thirty-four armored cruisers
OF high speed and seventy-four ordi-
nary cruisers. None of these has the
armament or the protection to take
It's place in the line Of battle, but they
are invaluable for scouting purposes.
Other Nations Have Fewer.
The other European nations which
do not depend on naval power for their
existence. have much smaller equip
ment in cruisers France has twenty
nine, Russia fifteen. Germany fifty and
Austria seven The Triple Entente
therefore, has more than $50 cruisers
against hfty-seven for the Dual ALI
ance.
Frances equipment includes no bat
tie cruisers. but has nineteen armor-
ed cruisers. The heaviest Of these ships
have speed Of % knots G-inch side
armor and S-inch protection to their
larger guns. Their main batteries are
generally Of two l.G-inch rapid-fire and
eight G4-inch rapid-fre guns. The
three ships of the Gambetta class how
ever. completed in 1906, carry four
78-inch and sixteen 6.i-inch rapid
fire guns.
Two protected cruisers. the D'Entre-
essteaux and tho Guichen, and ten
light cruisers Of no fighting import
snce. complete tho French list of
cruisers.
Russia's Equipment.
Russia's six armorcd cruisers, none
Of which is in the Black sea. are AN
well equipped and compare favorabIy
with the British type. Her nine cruis-
srs of the ordinary type. however, are
light and have mo- Ggbtng value.
Germany naturally stands next 10
Great Britain as 10 cruisers. She has
i've battle cruisers. nine armurcd
cruisers and forly-ouo cruisers I'M her
Hect Her battle cruisers possess the
enormous advantage over those ~ 9TH
or nations that their side armor is OF
Dattleship thickness.
The Won Der Tam, completed n
1910, has 1890 tons displscemeut
twenty eight knots speed, ten inches of
side armor and mounts eight ll-uoh
guns. The Moltke, 1911, has $4,000
toms and twenty-eight knots speed.
She is protected with eleven inches Of
side armor and carries ten l1-inch
guns. The Seydlitz of 25,O0O tons has
made twentv-nine knots. She has the
same armament and protection as the
Moltke. All these ships carry powerful
torpedo defense batteries Of 6-iuch
guns.
This DATE IN HISTORY"