Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 18.djvu/122

SHIP. 9.2-inch calibre were added to the auxiliary battery of 6-inch pieces, and the displacement was brought up to 16,350 tons.



In French ships the complete water-line belt, extending from stem to stern, was invariably retained. For many years the heavy guns of all French battleships were mounted high above the water in barbettes, one in each (never in pairs—in order to prevent the disabling of two guns by one shot). The arrangement of the heavy guns differed from the practice in other navies; one was placed on the forecastle, one each side amidships. The importance of an auxiliary battery of guns of medium size was never lost sight of in French designs, though for many years they were unprotected by armor, the Brennus, commenced in 1888, being the first in which armor protection was afforded them. In 1893 the Charlemagne class was commenced; in these vessels the heavy guns were mounted, as in American and British battleships, in pairs in turrets forward and aft, and this plan has been followed in all subsequent designs.



The Italian navy has shown greatest originality of design, though many of the ships have never been approved by other naval authorities. The Italians early grasped the fact that powerful vessels must be large and did not hesitate to accept great dimensions. Following the Dandolo and Duilio of nearly 12,000 tons, which have already been mentioned, they built the enormous nondescripts Italia and Lepanto of over 15,000 tons. These great vessels have no side armor whatever, but in a large diagonally placed barbette, 19 inches thick, are mounted four 17-inch guns weighing 100 tons each. These were followed by three vessels of about 11,200 tons, also carrying four 100-ton guns, but having the water line protected by armor for about half the length amidships. The Sicilia, Sardegna, and Re Umberto, of 13,300 to 13,900 tons, begun in 1884, were originally planned as improved Italias without side armor, but when completed more than half the whole side from water line to upper deck was covered with 4-inch plating as a defense against small-calibre rapid-firing guns, and they were the first vessels to be so protected. In the next designs the Italians adopted the 8-inch gun as an intermediate calibre, mounting it much as it is placed in American battleships. In their newest vessels the whole auxiliary battery is made up of 8-inch guns and the speed is put at 21.5 knots, at least 2.5 knots greater than that of any other battleships built or building.





For many years after the formation of the Empire Germany was content to remain in the second rank of naval powers, but in 1889 she began the construction of four battleships of 10,000 tons, which were remarkable from the fact that they carried six 11-inch guns in pairs in three turrets on the midship line. These vessels in 1903 were undergoing alterations with a view to removing the middle turret and its guns. From 1889 the building of battleships proceeded steadily. The ten succeeding ships are remarkable for the smallness of their principal guns (9.4-inch, a calibre adopted to secure rapid loading) and the ingenuity of distributing and mounting the guns to secure wide arcs of fire. The battleships commenced in 1901-02 are of similar design, but they carry 11-inch guns.





In the United States no armored vessels except monitors were built until the small battleships Maine and Texas were begun in 1889. About two years later the larger battleships Indiana, Massachusetts, and Oregon of 10,280 tons were commenced. A prejudice still existed against ‘high-sided’ armorclads, and these were designated as ‘coast-line battleships’ and given very moderate freeboard. They were very remarkable ships for their day. Their speed was rather low than high—but the battery was powerful and included, in addition to four 13-inch guns, a powerful auxiliary battery of eight 8-inch and four 6-inch guns. The possession of 8-inch guns makes them still formidable foes for the most recent European battleships, for shells from these