Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/705

Rh missioned officers. The naval school has 60 cadets, and the school of gunners 80.

The Argentine navy consists of 4 coast defence armourclads (of which the Andes and Plata are old), 6 armoured cruisers, 3 second-class cruisers of high speed built at Elswick, and 7 modern smaller cruisers and gunboats, with a number older, as well as 3 destroyers and 12 first class and 10 second class torpedo boats. The following are the modern armoured ships. Abbreviations:—c.b., central battery; c.d., coast defence; a.c, armoured cruisers; q.f., quick-firer


 * Built for Italy. † Built for Spain.

Of the armoured cruisers five have lately been bought in Italy, under the sanction of the Italian and Spanish Governments, for which they were built. They vary in some particulars, but all displace about 6,800 tons, and are very fine vessels of their class. They are 328 feet long, with 61 beam and 24 feet draught. They are protected by complete armour belts with a maximum thickness of 6-in., and above this amidships is 4-in. plating, forming a kind of redoubt. The armament is given in the table. It is well-protected. Engines of 13,000 horse-power arc calculated for a speed of 20 knots. The ships are replete with every modern appliance.

The Almirante Brown was built at Poplar in 1880, is of 4,200 tons displacement, 5,380 horse-power, with 14 knots nominal speed, and is protected by 9-inch steel-faced armour. She has received a new armament. The steel cruiser-rams Libertad and Independcncia, launched by Messrs. Laird Bros, at Birkenhead, respectively in 1890 and 1891, are very remarkable vessels. They have a small displacement (2,500 tons), but are powerfully armed, well protected, and handy ships. They carry 2 9-in. Krupp guns en barbette, and have a secondary armament of 4 4.7-in. Armstrong quick-firers, 2 sponsoned out on each broadside, and 8 smaller pieces. These were the first vessels to be provided with heavy guns mounted for high-angle (40°) fire. The side and barbette protection is 8-in. compound armouring. The protected cruiser Nueve de Julio, 3,575 tons has a displacement of 14,500 indicated horse-power, and nominal speed 22.5 knots. With natural draught (13,000 horse-power) this vessel obtained the high speed of 21.9 knots. She earlier. 4 6-in. and 8 4. 7-in. Q.F. guns, and 24 Hotchkiss 3 pr. and 1 pr. guns. The Buenos Aires, the new second-class