THE WORLD’S WAR-SHIPS. 
29 
Coming now to those with fully-protected decks, we will start with 
the first-class cruisers, though they are the newest. 
The bulk belong to the Edgar type, including, besides that craft, the 
Royal Arthur, Crescent, Endymion, Gibraltar, Grafton, Hawke, St. 
George, and Theseus. Their length is 360 feet, breadth 60 feet, dis¬ 
placement over 7500 tons. It is hoped they will steam 20 knots, and 
have a coal endurance of 10,000 knots at half that speed. They will 
carry the same armament as the belted Aurora class, viz., two 9‘2-inch 
mounted as bow and stern chasers, and ten 6-inch ; only that here, 
instead of all the guns being carried in the open on the upper deck, 
four will be placed on the main deck, in armoured towers. They have 
two funnels, but these are placed further aft than in the Aurora type, 
where, as I pointed out, one is only just abaft the fore jury mast. They 
have no fighting tops, another distinguishing mark. 
Their steel deck varies from five inches in thickness and curves 
down well below the water at the sides, and stem and stern. Much 
discussion has been raised about the wisdom of giving them 22-ton 
guns, which may lead to their doing what they should never undertake, 
namely, engaging an armoured battle ship. They may be remembered 
as enlarged Merseys and diminished Blakes. 
This latter ship, with the Blenheim, is very similar, only that the 
length is 375 feet, breadth 65 feet, and tonnage displacement 9000 
tons. They carry the same armament in the same way. The steel 
deck is three inches on the level and six inches on the slope. The top 
rises to 18 inches above the water-line, and slopes down to 6*5 feet 
below it at the sides. I suspect only practice would enable one to 
know them from the Edgar type, unless it is the fact that their funnels 
are more raking. They have enough coal to steam at 10 knots for 
15,000 knots. 
Coming to the second-class cruisers, we find the Mersey type as the 
largest. They comprise the Mersey, Severn, Forth, and Thames. 
They are 300 feet long, with a beam of 46 feet, and a displacement of 
4000 tons, and a speed of 18 knots. 
They can steam at 10 knots nearly 9000 knots. They are armed as 
the preceding vessels, only with all their armament on the upper deck, 
8-inch guns being substituted for the 9‘2-inch, and the 10 6-inch 
being, of course, much closer crowded together. They have only one 
funnel, and carry no sails, and have two fighting tops. Their steel 
deck, two inches and three inches, offers no peculiarity. 
Next to these come the new Apollo type or improved Medeas. They 
are the same length, but three feet less beam and only 3600 tons 
displacement. They are thus the same size as the Leander class. They 
carry a lighter armament than the Mersey's, 6-inch being substituted 
for the 8-inch, and six 4‘7-inch for the 10 6-inch, but on the other 
hand they have a larger number of lighter guns. They have a speed 
of 20 knots, and a coal endurance of 8000. The steel deck extends 
throughout, and is one inch on the level and two inches on the slope. 
They have two funnels, and low masts in one piece, with fore and aft 
sails. They comprise the Aeolus, Andromache, Apollo, Astrea, Bona- 
venture, Brilliant, Cambrian, Intrepid, Indefatigable, Iphigenia, 
