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442

TABLE VIII. Light Cruisers of Non-British Navies.

Country

Date of Launch

Length Ft.

Breadth Ft.

Draught Ft.

Displace- ment Tons

Speed Knots

Horse- Power

Armament

Side Armour In.

UNITED STATES:

" Omaha ". . .10

1920

5555

55

Hi

7-500

33 1

90,000

12 6 in.

and

421 in. T. T.

bldg.

JAPAN:

" Yahagi "... 3

1911

475

465

I6J

4-950

26

22,500

86 in.

3

3 18 in. T .T.

" Tatsuta "... 2

1918

44

4i

13

3-500

31

51,000

45-5 in.

3

621 in. T. T.

" Tama " ... 20

1919

500

46?

15!

5,500

33

90,000

75-5 in.

3

8-21 in. T. T.

ITALY:

" Basilicata ". . . 2

1914

272

42

I6J

2-450

I6i

5,000

6 6 in.

2 T. T.

GERMANY:

\

"Stralsund" ....

1912

446

43 i

16

4,480

27

24,000

75-9 in-

217-7 in- T. T.

" Regensburg "...

1914

456

45

17

4,850

27*

26,000

75-9 in.

(now French " Strasbourg ")

2 19-7 in. T. T.

" Konigsberg "...

1915

45

43*

16

4,200

28i

45,000

75-9 in-

(now French " Metz ")

419-7 in. T. T.

" Frankfurt ".

1915

465

45i

17

5.120

28

45,000

85-9 in-

219-7 in. T. T.

" Brummer ".

1915

43

4'

I5i

4,000

30

46,000

45-9 in. 300

mines 4 19-7 T. T.

"Coin"

. 1918

489

47

I6J

5,600

27*

29,000

85-9 m.

423-6 in. T. T.

RUSSIA:

Admiral class ....

1915

535

51

18

7,600

30

55.000

155 in.

2 1 8 in. T. T-

did not construct 'any after the completion of the " Salem " class in 1908 until after the World War, when the construction of 10 light cruisers of the " Omaha " class (fig. 42) was commenced. These vessels were designed in 1916 and their construction authorized by the Act of Congress o 1917. The chief characteristics of these vessels, which are classed as " Scouts " by the U.S. navy, are an over-all length of 555* ft., a displacement of 7,100 tons, S.H.P. of turbine engines 90,000, giving an estimated speed of 35 knots. The armament at first consisted of eight 6-in. guns arranged in double-

FIG. 42.

storied batteries of four guns each, forward and aft, but recently this armament has been augmented by the addition of a twin 6-in. gun turret on the centre line forward and aft. The torpedo arma- ment is to consist of two 21 -in. above- water torpedo tubes. Pro- tection, consisting of 3-in. total, is provided amidships to the machin- ery compartments. With the exception of some protection to the steering gear, the side protection does not appear to be so extensive as that provided for British light cruisers. Oil fuel only is burnt in the boilers of these vessels, the machinery arrangement of which is of considerable interest. The turbine engines drive four propellers, the engines for the outer shafts being accommodated in an engine- room situated between two groups of boiler-rooms, the engines for the inner shafts being in another engine-room abaft the second group of boilers. The turbines are geared, the reduction gears being of the Westinghouse floating-frame type. Cruising turbines are fitted to obtain economy at cruising speeds.

Japan. Three light cruisers were completed for Japan in 1912. These vessels, of about 5,000 tons displacement, 26 knots and carry- ing eight 6-in. guns, are very similar to their British contemporaries of the " Newcastle " class. No other light cruisers were built by Japan until the " Tatsuta " and " Tenryu " were laid down in 1917 and completed in 1919. These vessels are in general characteristics

similar to the British " Arethusa " class, with higher speed and reduced armament. On a displacement of 3,500 tons, a speed of 31 knots is obtained with 51,000 H.P. and four 5'5-in. guns are carried. Following these vessels were eight light cruisers of the " Tama " class, some of which have been launched. Twelve additional light cruisers of the 1920 programme will follow. It is understood that these 20 vessels are generally of the same class and are a consider- able improvement upon the " Tatsuta." On a displacement of 5,500 tons, seven 5'5-in. guns will be carried and engines of 90,000 H.P. will be fitted to give a designed speed of 36 knots.

Germany. The German naval programme provided for a small number of light cruisers to be built each year. The four vessels of the " Coin " class, completed in 1910 and 1911, were of 4,280 tons, 25J knots and carried 12 4-i-in. guns. They were an advance in size and speed on their predecessors. In 1912 and 1913 six vessels of slightly greater displacement and speed than the " Coin," but with the same armament, were completed. The next 14 vessels, completed 1914-5, were of 5,000 tons, 27 knots, 30,000 H.P., and had an im- proved armament of 2 S-g-in. and 10 4-i-in. guns. During the World War a number of light cruisers were built, the chief characteristics of which were their improved armaments, 6, 7, and 8 5-g-in. guns

Jinn

3-e-

FIG. 43.

being carried. Some of the earlier cruisers were rearmed with s-g-in, guns in lieu of 4-i-in. guns originally fitted. The "Brummer' and " Bremse," two of the surrendered vessels, were interesting ships. They were mine-laying cruisers of 4,000 tons, and, with tur- bine engines of 46,000 H.P., were generally credited with a speed of 34 knots, but this was at least 4 knots higher than the actual spc-rd. They were arranged to carry about 300 mines. One of the chief differences between British and German light cruisers lay in the