Page:The Development of Navies During the Last Half-Century.djvu/299

 few heavy guns mounted over it en barbette. As with ourselves, guns in France had risen in size to 40 tons weight, and the armour in thickness to 14 in. Then after these ships a new departure was taken — the central battery for the heavy ordnance was abandoned, but instead of adopting the turret, as we had, the barbette system was extended. This was carried out in the 'Admiral Duperré,' begun at the end of 1876. In this vessel the displacement was increased to 11,000 tons, and the armament consisted of four 48-ton guns, placed singly in barbettes, with a number of smaller guns for auxiliary purposes. The complete armour belt had from the first been a special feature of French ships, and in the 'Duperré' it is 21 in. thick at the central portion. A further advance was made in the design of the 'Admiral Baudin' and 'Formidable,' commenced eleven years ago, and now forming part of the Mediterranean Squadron. Their displacement is the greatest yet in the French navy, 11,500 tons. They are armed with three 75-ton guns, mounted in separate barbettes, and have as an auxiliary armament twelve 5.3-in. guns. The armour is similar to that of the 'Duperre.' A special feature in these ships is their lofty freeboard and the height above the water at which the guns are carried. In rough weather this is a great advantage, but of course the target offered to hostile fire is considerable. These two ships are fine specimens of naval architecture.