THE NEW CRUISERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 7, 9 January 1903, Page 4

THE NEW CRUISERS.

HEAVIEST ARMED IN THE WORLD. It is dow apparent (says a Louden journal) that the new armoured cruisers, one of which will be bu U at Pembroke, and one by private contract, will mark liteially a revolution in the armament of men-of-war of this class. Where the Good Hope, of the Drake type, his only two 9,2 in. guns and 16.6 in. pieces, the la'ter mounted in j armoured casemates, e.jch st-pir.it°, the new cruisers will cairy stveial 9 2"\ guns, two in barbettes, fore and aft, and four on the upper dick, iu a central battery. This is a (It par; of a startling character, though i-iuiilir to that embodied iu the deigns of the now battleship?. Oa the o her hacd, it is a returu to an old prac ice.

In Bii ish ships thera are, as h s been poii.ttd out in "Bra'sey'a Annual," 800 casemates, though thero is no record cf any trial of the advantage* of tbis m<jtbod. Whatever the virtues of the sjs'em, in "the new cruisers it is abandoned. All the 9 2in. gunf, throwing three 3801b prtjcciles a. minute, will b) ia a ci'idal with armour Gin. thick as protection, t-ip-r----ing eff towards the end?. The Pemb; oke correspondent of the •' aval and Military g.Vt S s~me addi ion 1 detail", prep tred from th-j pi ns of the vessel to be built at that dccky rJ. The t>ew sh p will be iu size between the I)r<ko mid Moi.mou'.h .classes. Site will be 20.t. f>ho'Ur than the one aud 40ft. longer 1 hau th" other. Her extreme breidtb will, h- w-'ve ', be greater than that of <itliei' 'ho Diak or Monmouth class s, and, r.oirdi'.'yly, her displacement wi'l l e a >. u". 13,500 tons, as compared wi'h 11 100 tu>6 suti 9800 :on-i raspeetiv !y of the o'be-s. With regard to ;• in uq nt, sh) ill be much sup)tior to the Diake. Th it ■hip has only two 92 u B.L. gtins, against six of the s: iae calibre \vh ch i f is proposed tT mount ou tho cew cruiser. On the main deck, a'so'wMi in the battery, five wll be mounted at e>3h sid', ar.d tbo tsarsverse section of the ship at the fore and-aft cor aera of the battery wiil show a double recess.

On a superstructure overlooking the barbettes, at each end, three 75 milli metre quick firing guns wilt be mounted on each side, and between theru at intervals there will be four *303 Maxim guns.. The total armament wll th refore bs six §'2 B.L. guns, twelve 75 milli-metre, eight thrae-pound r quick - fi'ing guns, and eight Msxtms. The internU economy will differ materially from any previous s'lip. The .shellroom, forcximple, will be situated immediately under the guns, and each will be fitted with cordite cupboards. The two vessels built on this design will be th# most heavily armed cruisers in gome respects in the British fleet.