Page:The Development of Navies During the Last Half-Century.djvu/110

86 the days of the 'infants.' This arrangement of the turrets was to allow all four guns to point directly ahead or astern, whereas if placed on the fore and aft line, as in previous ships, only half the armament could be so utilised. The turrets were protected with 16 in. of armour, consisting of a wrought-iron plate of 7 in., and

outside that what is termed a ’compound' plate of 9 in. This was simply a plate of wrought-iron of 5½ in. thick, to which a hard steel face, 3½ in. thick, had been added and the two plates welded together. Wrought-iron was too soft, and allowed the projectiles to penetrate, but the hard steel face broke them up. Hence a reduced thickness of the new material could be used with a corresponding saving of weight.