590 
THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARMOUR. 
parts of the upper structure of our ships. Happily for us, foreign 
powers have hitherto generally employed three, four or five inch steel 
plates for these purposes and until quite recently ordinary steel only has 
been used, which would place them at a disadvantage so obvious that it 
doubtless will not long be allowed to continue. For if the above esti¬ 
mate as to the part borne by the Q.F. guns is correct and if two ships 
engage of which one's Q.F. guns can attack her enemy’s corresponding 
armaments freely, not only with shot but also with A.P. and sometimes 
even common shells, while her enemy can reply only with projectiles 
which are powerless to get through her armour, only some very 
exceptional fortune can prevent the speedy defeat of the less protected 
ship. 
Since the above was written and submitted for printing, the fight 
off Santiago outs ide the harbour of Santiago de Cuba took place, giving lessons 
de Cuba, which are of the first importance, which will be dealt with as briefly as 
possible. The conditions were as follows :—Four Spanish cruisers, 
the Infanta Maria Teresa, Vizcaya, Cristobal Colon and Oquendo 
suddenly left the harbour and attempted to run the gauntlet of the 
blockading United States war-ships. These were the battle-ships, 
Iowa, Texas, Oregon, Indiana, Massachusetts, and cruisers Brooklyn 
and New York. 
The New York happened to have left the station just before the 
attempt was made. Of the rest, the Brooklyn had 21*9 knots and the 
Oregon might make nearly 17, but the other battle-ships were not in a 
condition to go nearly so fast. The Spanish cruisers nominally had 
about 20 knots speed, consequently taking the American fleet by 
surprise there was room to hope for their escape. They steamed out 
in the above order and then turned west covering two torpedo 
catchers, who accompanied them, but who were immediately destroyed. 
The Spanish orders were to deliver all their fire on the Brooklyn which, 
besides being the ship of highest speed, happened to be at the west end 
of the American line. The U.S. vessels got under weigh and in action 
surprisingly quick, everything being in good order, while the very 
reverse was the case with the Spanish ships, whose armaments were 
in some cases deficient of their principal heavy guns and whose bottoms 
were so foul and coal supply so bad that they fell far short in speed. 
They suffered from a very heavy fire as they passed the American ships, 
and being pursued by the Brooklyn and Oregon the Maria Teresa 
Oquendo and Vizcaya were in succession set on fire and riddled in 
their upper structure and had to run into shore and surrender in 
succession. The Colon, which was built in Italy, and whose upper 
structure was protected in a great measure by 6-in. armour, suffered 
comparatively little, obtained about three miles start and ought to have 
escaped easily, but was overtaken and surrendered in about 3 hours 
after leaving the harbour. 
The most obvious lesson as to structure is the need for medium 
armour on the upper structure and the necessity of getting rid of 
wood, this has in fact been done in Germany. As to artillery fire, the 
incendiary effect of the secondary gun fire of common shell is seen to 
