Page:EB1922 - Volume 32.djvu/458

438 resembled in type the "Lord Nelson." Launched in 1906 and 1907, they mounted 4 12-in. and 12 to-in. guns on a displacement of about 19,500 tons. Turbine machinery of 24,000 H.P. was fitted in the " Aki," giving a speed of 2Oj knots. The " Satsuma," with reciprocating engines of 18,500 H.P., was 2 knots slower.

The first Japanese battleships of the " Dreadnought " type were the " Settsu," launched in 1911, and the " Kawachi," launched in 1912. The latter vessel was blown up in 1918 in a Japanese har- bour by the explosion of her magazines. These vessels were of 20,800 tons and mounted 12 12-in. guns, arranged in six twin-gun turrets, one forward and aft on the centre line and the other four on the broadsides. The ahead and astern fire was thus 6 guns and broadside fire 8 guns. The secondary armament was 10 6-in. guns, mounted in an amidship battery protected by 6-in. armour. Eight 4'7-in. guns were also mounted. The armour belt was 12 in. thick amidships at the water-line and 9 in. above, with 5-in. armour for- ward and aft, the 12-in. guns were protected by n-in. armour, and the conning tower by 12-in. armour. Turbine machinery of 25,000 H.P. was fitted, giving a speed of 2Oj knots.

FIG. 34.

Large increases in dimensions and power characterized the next class (fig. 34) of Japanese battleships, 14-in. guns being adopted. These vessels were the " Fuso " and " Yamashiro," of 30,600 tons and 40,000 H.P., launched in 1914 and 1915 respectively, and the " Ise " and " Hyuga," of 31,260 tons and 45,000 H.P., launched in 1916 and 1917. The mam armament consisted of 12 14-in. guns mounted in twin-gun turrets all arranged on the centre line of the vessel. Two turrets are superposed forward, with a similar arrange- ment aft, the remaining two turrets being abaft the forward and after funnels respectively. The first pair of vessels named mount 16 6-in. guns, and the second pair 20 55-in. guns, as the secondary armament in an amidships battery protected by 6-in. armour. The belt and turret armour is 12 in. thick. The speed of the vessels is about. 22 j knots.

FIG. 35.

The next class of Japanese battleships are characterized by the fitting of l6-in. guns. These vessels were " Nagato " (launched 1919 and completed 1920) and " Mutsu " (launched 1920), of 33,800 tons displacement, and " Tosa " and " Kaga " (building 1921) of 40,600 tons displacement. The former pair of vessels mount 8 i6-in. guns in four twin-gun turrets arranged in the now usual manner, with 20 5'5-in. guns as secondary armament. The latter pair of vessels were probably to mount 10 i6-in. guns. The torpedo arma- ment, which in previous vessels consisted of five or six submerged tubes, was increased to eight tubes, four of which are mounted above the water-line. The vessels were slightly faster than pre- vious vessels, a speed of 23^ knots being intended, geared turbines providing the requisite power, which was about 46,000 in the ' Nagato " and " Mutsu " and 60,000 in the " Tosa " and " Kaga."

Under the 1920-8 Navy Law four battleships were projected.

(4) Germany. The " Dreadnought " type of battleship was adopted at once by Germany, the advance from the " Deutschland "

class (of the " Formidable " type) being made without trial as wasdone in some other navies, of vessels of the " King Edward VII." or " Lord Nelson " types. The first German " Dreadnoughts " were the four vessels of the " Nassau " class, launched in 1908. Shorter but wider and somewhat heavier than the " Dreadnought," the " Nassau," on a displacement of 18,600 tons, carried 12 n-in. guns in six twin-gun turrets, mounted one at each end on the centre line, and two on each broadside, thus giving an ahead and astern fire of six guns and broadside fire of eight. The secondary armament consisted of 12 s-g-in. guns, mounted m a battery protected by 7-in. armour. A large torpedo armament of six i77-in. submerged tubes was fitted. The water-line armour belt was ll in. thick, with an 8-in. belt above, and tapering to 5 in. forward and 4 in. aft. The speed was 19 knots, the requisite H.P. of 20,000 being developed by reciprocating engines.

The " Nassau " class was followed by the four ships of the " Hel- goland " class (fig. 35), launched in 1909 and 1910. These vessels marked a considerable increase in dimensions and displacement. The 12-in. gun was adopted for the first time in these vessels, the Germans claiming that this weapon was the equivalent of the 13-5-in. gun then being adopted by the British in the " Orion " class. The " Helgoland " carried 12 12-in. guns arranged similarly to the n-in. guns in the " Nassau." The secondary armament was increased to '4 5'9-in. guns and the six submerged tubes were of ig-7-in. diam-

eter. The protection was generally the same asthat of the " Nas- sau " class. The speed was increased to 20-5 knots. The various increases involved a displacement of 22,440 tons and engines of 25,000 H.P., but the reciprocating type was still adhered to.

The " Kaiser" class (five vessels), launched in 1911 and 1912, were slightly larger and faster than the " Helgoland " class, being of 24,300 tons and 21 knots, but the main armament was reduced to ip 12-in. guns without loss of broadside fire, as they were arranged similarly to the British " Neptune " (designed two years pre- viously), with one turret forward, two superposed aft and two broad- side turrets en echelon, all guns thus being able to fire on either broadside. The secondary armament was unaltered and the bow torpedo tube was omitted. The armour protection was considerably increased, the water-line belt being of 13$ in. maximum thickness

tapering to 9 in., with an upper belt of 7j in., the secondary battery above and both ends of the ship being protected by a like thick- ness. Turbine engines were installed for the first time in German battleships, the power being 28,000 for a speed of 21 knots, which was somewhat exceeded on trials.

The four ships of the " Konig " class (see fig. 36), launched in 1913 and 1914, were, with the exception of slightly greater dimensions and displacement, generally repeats of the " Kaiser " class in respect of number and calibre of guns and torpedo tubes and of protection. The main armament was arranged all on the centre line, as in the British " Orion " class, the amidship turret being, however, between the two funnels. An important advance lay in the increased oil- fuel (700 tons) capacity, previous vessels having only 200 tons.

The last battleships built by the Germans were the " Baden " and " Bayern " (see fig. 37), launched in 1915, two others of the class not being completed at the time of the Armistice. A very complete description of the " Baden " was given in a paper read by Mr.,S. V.