24 
THE WORLDS WAR-SHIPS. 
line with the keel. It was protected with 18 inches of armour and 
placed on a small redoubt of the same, as this, however, would afford 
no protection to the engines the belt was extended aft so as to cover 
nearly half the ship’s length. At the same time a 8-inch steel deck 
covered the entire length. The conning tower is aft of the turret 
and then come the two funnels placed alongside one another ; an 
easy way of distinguishing them. Aft of this again is a spar deck 
that extends to the stern, where to deliver a stern fire is placed a 
10-inch 29-ton B.L. gun. This gun is very noticeable. Below the 
spar deck on the upper deck are placed 10 6-inch guns; and running 
athwart the ship, dividing this battery, is a 8-inch screen bulkhead of 
steel. Outside the battery below the stern chaser are two more 6-inch 
guns that can also assist in this purpose. The shape of this battery 
is not rectangular. Its bow end is pointed. A shield of 6-inch 
armour protects it from end on fire. 
Comparing these ships in size with the Colossus, we find they are 
20 feet longer, two feet more beam, 1000 tons more displacement, and 
over a knot faster, while they have a strong secondary armament. 
We now come to the Nile and Trafalgar. The 110-ton gun having 
been discarded for the 67-ton, four guns could be carried instead of 
two ; hence we see again two turrets. They are designed to meet 
the objections urged against the Admiral class of alleged insufficient 
protection and armoured stability, therefore the armoured belt extends 
to 230 feet out of a total length of 345 feet. The turrets are placed 
120 feet apart, and in a central line. They are thus more of an 
improved Dreadnought than of a Colossus, while they differ from the 
Admirals not only in the increased depth and longitudinal area of their 
armour, but in the main armament being in turrets and not in bar¬ 
bettes. Thus the citadel is divided into an upper and lower on which 
the turrets stand, while between these is a central box battery, as it is 
termed, in which are eight 4*7-inch Q.F. The armour varies in thick¬ 
ness from 20 inches to 16 inches. 
The Hood is a turret-ship with redoubts, and is one of the Boyai 
Sovereign class in size, armament, armour and speed, except that she 
has turrets instead of barbettes. The result is increased protection, 
at a cost of carrying her guns six feet lower, and a corresponding loss 
of freeboard at each end. Like the Sovereign class she has two 
military masts and funnels placed side by side. 
We must now return to the central battery ships, which we left at 
the completion of the Audacious class. 
Owing, it is said, to the battle of Lissa, the Admiralty decided to 
strengthen the ram and give a more formidable bow fire. With this 
view the Alexandra was built. Like the preceding class she has a 
central battery arranged in two tiers; the lower battery being con¬ 
siderably longer than the upper, the forward ports constructed so as 
to fire within 3° of the line of keel. The upper battery now possesses 
two 9‘2-inch B.L. guns firing through her bow ports, and two 18-ton 
M.L.B. guns firing astern, her lower two of the same heavy guns firing 
through her bow recessed ports, and six 18-ton guns broadside arma¬ 
ment ; besides six 4-inch B.L. guns and a number of smaller quick-firers. 
