Page:The Development of Navies During the Last Half-Century.djvu/315

 be so close together that the centre propeller has probably no solid water to work in.

Naturally with such an extent of coast line Italy has a great number of torpedo boats, and the organisation for their use in time of war is very complete. Italy may be justly proud of the navy she has created in twenty years, and her naval officers display a proficiency in handling this materiel which is the result of unremitting zeal and industry.

Thirty years ago the navy of the kingdom of Prussia was numerically inferior to that of Austria, but the German Empire is now fast becoming a prominent maritime power. In 1889 a German squadron of iron-clads came to England which, though not composed of vessels of large dimensions or latest design, showed in its organisation and the method in which it was handled that the same attention had been given to detail in naval matters as characterises its military department. Up to the present time the largest ironclad is the 'König Wilhelm,' of 9600 tons, of the belt and central battery type, like the 'Hercules' in the British navy. She was launched as far back as 1868, when that system was prominently in favour. Contemporary with this ship are the 'Kaiser' and ' Deutschland,' of 7700 tons, and a few others of smaller dimensions. A later class, composed of the 'Baden,' 'Bayern,' 'Sachsen,' and 'Wurttemberg,' launched between 1877 and 1880, are of 7400 tons, with a central citadel and armament of six 18-ton Krupp guns. The armour on the side only covers the central