Page:EB1922 - Volume 32.djvu/463

Rh armament is very large for a U.S. vessel, consisting as it does of four submerged and four above- water 21 -in. torpedo tubes. None of the vessels had yet been launched in 1921.

Russia. Four battle cruisers were launched in 1915, but they had not been completed up to 1921. On a displacement of 32,200 tons, with a length of 750 ft., 12 14-in. and 24 5-in. guns and 6 torpedo tubes were to have been carried, turbine engines of 66,000 H.P. using estimated to give a speed of 27 knots. The side armour had a maximum thickness of 12 inches.

Japan. The " Tsukuba " and " Ikoma " were laid down in 1905 and the " Kurama " and " Ibuki " in 1907. These vessels are classed as battle cruisers, but they lacked the high speed consid- ered an essential feature of the battle-cruiser type. The " Tsu- kuba " was blown up in a Japanese harbour in 1917. The next

battle cruisers built by Japan were the four vessels of the " Kongo " class, launched in 1912-3, the name ship being constructed by Vick- ers at Barrow, and her sisters in Japan. These vessels resemble the " Lion " class, having an armament of 8 14-in. and 16 6-in. guns on a displacement of 27,500 tons, a speed of 27 knots being obtained with turbines developing 64,000 horse-power. The vessels are well 'tected by lo-in. (maximum) armour, and they carry a power-

ful torpedo armament of 8 submerged 2i-in. torpedo tubes. Four battle cruisers of the " Amagi " class were in 1921 under construc- tion. They were reported to be vessels of 40,000 tons displacement and 30 knots speed, with a main armament of 8 i6-in. guns.

Germany. As with the " Dreadnought " type of battleship, the Germans followed the British in their battle cruisers. The first vessel of the type, " Von der Tann," was launched in 1909. On a displacement of 19,100 tons she carried 8 n-in. and 12 5'9-in. guns. The armour belt was of lo-in. (maximum) thickness and her designed speed was 24 knots, the turbine engines developing about 45,000 horse-Dower. This speed and H.P. were exceeded on trials. The " Moltke " (1910), " Goeben " (1911), of 22,600 tons and 25 knots, and " Seydlitz " (1912), of 24,600 tons and 26 knots (fig. 40) were generally improvements on the " Von der Tann." The main arma- ment consisted of to ll-in. guns arranged as in the British " Nep- tune " (of two years earlier design), as compared with 8 13-5-in. guns in contemporary British battle cruisers. The " Goeben " was transferred to Turkey early in the war, having been in the Mediter- ranean when the war broke out. Return to Germany being impos-

sible, she escaped to Constantinople. The " Seydlitz " was badly damaged at the battles of Dogger Bank (1915) and Jutland (1916). Her return to harbour after the latter was only effected with great difficulty, and probably only the close proximity of the German coast enabled her to reach port in time. The " Derfflinger " (1913) and " Liitzow " (1913) were the first German battle cruisers to mount 12-in. guns, of which they carried eight on a displacement of 26,200 tons. The speed was 26J knots and maximum armour 12 in. thick. The " Lutzow " was sunk at the battle of Jut- land. The " Hindenburg " (fig. 41), launched in 1915 and com- pleted in 1917, and " Mackensen, ' launched in 1917 but not com- pleted, were virtually repeats of the " Lutzow," with the same arma- ment, but improved speed of 28 knots. The " Graf von Spee," also launched in 1917 but not completed, was of 27,000 tons, with six 15-in. guns as the main armament. A sister vessel, " Prinz Eitel Friedrich," had not been launched at the Armistice. The last three vessels were dismantled, as well as other battle cruisers whose construction had not been far advanced.

Light Cruisers

The light cruiser type of warship has in recent years been con- structed by very few nations (see Table VIII.). The United Stales

TABLE VII. Battle Cruisers of Non-British Navies.

Country and Class

No. in Class

Date of Launch

Length

Breadth

Draught

Displace- ment : Tons

Speed Knots

Horse- Power

Armament

Side Armour

UNITED STATES:

ft. in.

ft. in.

ft. in.

in.

" Lexington "

6

Bldg.

874 o

105 6

31

43,500

33l

180,000

8 16 in. 16 6 in.

8

421 in. T. T.

RUSSIA:

" Navarin ".

4

I? 15 Not

750 o

IOO O

3

32,200

27

66,000

12 14 in. 24 5 in. 6 1 8 in. T. T

12

com-

pleted.

JAPAN:

4 Kongo "

4

1913

653 6

92 o

27*

27,500

27i

64,000

8 14 in. 16 6 in.

8

8 21 in. T. T.

" Amagi "

4

Bldg.

850 o

IOO O

40,000

30

8 16 in.

GERMANY:

" Blucher ".

i

1908

528 6

80 5

26*

15,500

24

32,000

12 8'2 in. 8 5-9 in.

7

417-7 in. T. T.

" Von der Tann "

i

1909

562 8

87 3

26 7

19,100

24

43-6oo

8 ii in. io 5-9 in.

9-8

4 17-7 in. T. T.

" Moltke ".

2

1910-1

610 3

96 10

26 ii

22,640

25

52,000

io ii in. 12 5-9 in.

II

4 19'7 in- T. T.

" Seydlitz ". " Derfflinger "

I

2

1912 1913

656 2

689 o

93 6 95 2

27

27i

24,610 26,180

26*

26J

63,000 63,000

ditto. 8 12 in. 12 5-9 in.

n-8

12

4 19-7 in. T. T.

" Hindenburg "

2

I9I5-7

697 o

96 3

27 *

26,640

28

85,000

8 12 in. 12 5-9 in. 6 19-7 in. T. T.

12