PRE-DREADNOUGHTS.
DEUTSCHLAND CLASS.
(1906-08.)
DEUTSCHLAND.
POMMERN.
SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN.
SCHLESIEN.
HANNOVER.
The main characteristics of the “Deutschland” class, to which these vessels belong, are as follow: Displacement, 13,000 tons; speed, 191⁄2 knots; armament, four 11-in., fourteen 6·7-in., twenty 21-pounder guns, and six submerged torpedo tubes. The armour belt is 93⁄4 in. at its thickest, with 11-in. armour on the turrets. The 6·7-in. guns are in a broadside battery, protected by 63⁄4-in. plates.
VICE-ADMIRAL INGENOHL.
Commander-in-Chief, German High Seas Fleet.
These are popular ships in the German navy, owing to their handiness, good speed, and sea-keeping qualities. The armament is not so formidable as it looks, owing to the slow rate of fire from the secondary battery. The 6·7-in. projectile weighs 154 lbs., and is thus too heavy to be handled by manual power, a fact which takes this gun out of the quick-firing category.
In fighting value the ships compare with our Formidables. The coal supply is limited to 1,750 tons. The complement is 743 officers and men. The “Deutschland” was for some years flagship of the High Sea Fleet.
BRAUNSCHWEIG CLASS.
(Completed 1904-06.)
BRAUNSCHWEIG.
ELSASS.
PREUSSEN.
HESSEN.
LOTHRINGEN.
The same in every respect as the “Deutschland” class, except that the armour belt is only 9-in. thick.
WITTELSBACH CLASS.
(Completed 1902-03.)
WITTELSBACH.
WETTIN.
ZÄHRINGEN.
SCHWABEN.
MECKLENBURG.
The “Wittelsbach” class, to which these vessels belong, has the following characteristics: Displacement, 11,643 tons; speed 18 knots; armament, four 9·4-in., eighteen 5·9-in., twelve 21-pounders, and six submerged torpedo tubes. Amidships there is a belt of 9-in. armour, with 10-in. plating on the big-gun turrets.
Although the heavy guns are too weak for modern tactics, the exceptionally powerful secondary battery was considered to compensate for this defect. To older ships of the pre-Dreadnought period the “Wittelsbach” class might still prove formidable opponents.
In service they have been found defective in sea-keeping qualities, and the high freeboard and lofty superstructure offer an inviting target to hostile guns.
Normally these ships form part of the reserve fleet. Proposals to reconstruct and modernise them two years ago were rejected, on the ground of their insignificant fighting value.
The coal supply is 1,800 tons. A complement of 683 officers and men is borne.
KAISER FRIEDRICH CLASS.
(Completed 1898-1901.)
KAISER FRIEDRICH III.
KAISER WILHELM II.
KAISER WILHELM DER GROSSE.
KAISER KARL DER GROSSE.
KAISER BARBAROSSA.
Particulars of the Kaiser Friedrich class, of which these ships are representatives, are as follows: Displacement, 10,600 tons; speed, 17 knots; armament, four 9·4-in., fourteen 5·9-in., fourteen 21-pounder guns and five submerged torpedo tubes. Protection is afforded by a narrow belt 12-in. thick amidships, which tapers to 4-in. at the bows. The stern has no side armour.
KAISER CLASS.
KAISER, FRIEDRICH DER GROSSE, KAISERIN,
PRINZREG-LUITPOLD, KÖNIG ALBERT.
Displacement: 24,200 tons.
Speed: 21 knots; Guns: 10 12·2in., 14 6in., 12 24pdrs.; Torpedo tubes: 5.
| Astern fire: | Broadside: | Ahead fire: |
|---|---|---|
| 8 12·2in. | 10 12·2in. | 6 12·2in. |
| 4 6in. | 7 6in. | 4 6in. |
In their original form each ship carried eighteen 5·9-in. guns, but all, excepting the Kaiser Karl der Grosse, underwent complete reconstruction six or seven years ago, when four 5·9-in. guns and much of the clumsy top-hamper were removed. This reduction in weight brought the lower edge of the armour belt dangerously near the surface, with the result that when the ships are rolling the belt comes out of the water, and the lower hull is thus exposed to the smallest projectile.
Owing to this grave defect the ships were withdrawn from active service, and have been in reserve ever since they were reconstructed.
Maximum coal capacity is 1,000 tons. The complement numbers 622 officers and men.
BRANDENBURG CLASS.
(Completed 1893-94.)
BRANDENBURG.
WÖRTH.
These vessels are the two oldest battleships in the German navy. The class consisted originally of four ships, but two of them (Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm and Weissenburg) were sold to Turkey in 1910, and are now included in the Turkish fleet as the Haireddin Barbarossa and Torgut Reis. The displacement is 9,870 tons, the present speed about 16 knots.
Six 11-in. guns of obsolete type form the main armament, which is mounted in three double turrets on the centre line. This disposition enables all six heavy guns to fire on either beam. There are also eight 4·1-in. and eight 21-pounder guns, with two submerged and one above-water torpedo tubes.
On the water-line amidships is a 16-in. belt of compound armour, and the big gun positions are protected by 12-in. plating. About 1,050 tons of coal can be stored. The complement is 585 officers and men. The fighting value of this class under modern conditions is practically nil.
COAST DEFENCE SHIPS.
(Completed 1890-7.)
AEGIR.
HAGEN.
HILDEBRAND.
BEOWULF.
ODIN.
HEIMDALL.
FRITHJOF.
SIEGFRIED.
These vessels comprise the very oldest class of German armoured ships, and are used only for the local defence of harbours and coasts. The displacement is 4,000 tons. The speed originally was 15 knots, but is now considerably less.
The armament consists of three old 9·4-in. and ten 21-pounder guns, with four torpedo tubes. A narrow belt of 9-in. armour protects the waterline, but elsewhere the hull has very little protection.
The complement numbers 307 officers and men.