Page:The Next Naval War - Eardley-Wilmot - 1894.djvu/59

 ships, the Polyphemus and nine cruisers, as follows:

The squadron was very unequal in strength, because it included the five Admiral class which had been sent out to the Mediterranean as more suited to that sea than the rough waters of the Channel. Their low freeboard forward makes them very uncomfortable in bad weather, as every aperture on deck has to be hermetically sealed to keep the water from getting below. They have good speed in smooth water, and are powerfully armed, but a large area of the hull is most imperfectly protected.

It was a great point with our old wooden walls that they were equally at home in any sea, and weathered the heaviest storms while maintaining their stations in the Bay of Biscay. Few of our modern constructions are capable of keeping the sea for any length of time. Indeed, this is seldom done; they go from port to port, and the amount of time spent in harbour is much in excess of that under way.

The following cruisers accompanied the squadron: