With the increased resistance of armour and the consequent reduction in its thickness, the naval designer can spread his protecting plates over a much wider area, so that the whole broadside of ships like the Prince of Wales, or the cruisers Argyll and Defence, is clad with armour of satisfactory resisting power. At the same time the gun-power and speed of ships have been greatly increased without making the displacement inordinately high. On the opposite page a Table gives the main features of representative ships at different epochs, which will show this at a glance.

The growth in the size of battleships has been steady, with the exception of the class represented by the Barfleur and Canopus, both of which were engined by the Scotts. These vessels are embodiments of a desire to check the advance in the size and cost of the battleship. The deficiency in the number and calibre of their guns was partly compensated by the introduction, for the first time in battleships, of quick-firing weapons of large calibre. The Barfleur had four 12 in. breechloaders and ten 4.7 in. quick-firers; while the Canopus had four 10 in. breechloaders and ten 6 in. quick-firers. But opinion has again strongly grown in favour of having in each British ship the best that can be achieved; and thus the Prince of Wales has a displacement greater than any previous ship, while in the King Edward and the Lord Nelson classes there has been a further growth in every element of power. The probabilities, too, are that we have not yet by any means seen the end of this advance.

Plate XIX.

From a Photograph by West and Son, Southsea.

HIS MAJESTY'S BATTLESHIP "PRINCE OF WALES," 1902.

[Larger image]

TABLE V.

SIZE AND FIGHTING QUALITIES OF BRITISH BATTLESHIPS OF DIFFERENT PERIODS.