Page:The Development of Navies During the Last Half-Century.djvu/311

 extremely difficult. Eventually the aperture was closed up, and the incident is mentioned as showing that in Italy novel ideas have a chance of being tested.

But in the 'Duilio' and 'Dandolo' Italy did not consider she had reached the maximum of useful efficiency. There was a strong party in favour of individual ships of great power, and their arguments carried the day. The result was an increase to a displacement of 13,800 tons, in two vessels called the 'Italia' and 'Lepanto,' and an entire change in their design. External armour was abandoned, and it was all placed inside the vessel, in a stout deck, round the bases of the funnels, and in a breastwork enclosing the heavy guns. These consisted of four 100-ton breech-loaders, placed in an elongated barbette or redoubt built across the ship, and supported by bulkheads. This structure, with armament, weighs about 2500 tons, and therefore we see a ship not ironclad carrying on her hull the equivalent weight of a cruiser. Machinery of enormous power drives these huge structures at a speed of 18 knots, and they are capable of stowing 1600 tons of coal, which at a speed of 10 knots an hour would enable them to cover about 8000 nautical miles. They are magnificent specimens of naval architecture, but have, in my opinion, a serious defect This is the absence of external armour, which renders them liable to receive serious damage underneath the structure carrying the heavy guns. The stability of this structure might be compromised by the fire of numerous light guns. Next to these two in size are three vessels of 13,200 tons, the 'Re Umberto,'