Modern ships of war - Sir Edward J. Reed; Edward Simpson

SEA-GOING ARMORED SHIPS OF GERMANY.

Name of Ship.	Displacement.	Indicated Horse-power.	Speed.	Maximum Armor.	Principal Armament.


	Tons.		Knots.	Inches.	Guns.
König Wilhelm	9750	8300	14¾	12	18 of 14 tons.
Kaiser	7550	8000	14½	10	8 ” 18 ”
Deutschland	7550	8000	14½	10	8 ” 18 ”
Friedrich der Grosse	6600	4930	14	9½	4 ” 18 ”
Preussen	6600	4380	14	9½	4 ” 18 ”
Baden	7280	5600	14	16	6 ” 18 ”
Baiern	7280	5600	14	16	6 ” 18 ”
Sachsen	7280	5600	14	16	6 ” 18 ”
Würtemberg	7280	5600	14	16	6 ” 18 ”
Oldenburg	5200	3900	13½	12	8 ” 18 ”
Friedrich Karl	6000	3500	13½	5	16 ” 9 ”
Kronprinz	5480	4800	14¼	5	16 ” 9 ”

All the above German ships are completed, and have been for a long time, with the exception of the Oldenburg, which was not launched until 1884. The Baden was launched in 1880, the Baiern and Würtemberg in 1878, and all the rest earlier—the Friedrich Karl and Kronprinz nearly twenty years ago. Germany appears to have no iron-clad, large or small, under construction at present. It is unnecessary to set forth in detail her small armored gun-vessels; suffice it to say that she has one iron turret-ship, the Arminius, of 1560 tons, with 7½-inch armor, but only carrying four 9-ton guns, and steaming 10 to 11 knots; and eleven iron vessels of 10 feet draught of water, 1090 tons displacement, 700 horse-power, 9 knots speed, and 8-inch armor, each carrying one 12-inch gun of 37 tons. These were all built at Bremen, and launched between 1876 and 1880, inclusive. They are named after such agreeable creatures as basilisks, crocodiles, salamanders, scorpions, etc., but owing to their small speed would probably prove of less aggressive habits than their names imply. They would nevertheless be very useful in defending the coasts and harbors.

The abstention for the present of the German government from the construction of armored ships must not be taken as implying that it prefers the fast unarmored cruiser as a type of war-ships, for it has no such cruiser built, and is building but three of very high speed, and one of 16 knots.[37] The particulars of these are as follows:

Name of Ship.	Displacement.	Indicated Horse-power.	Speed.	Armament.


	Tons.		Knots.	Guns.
Elisabeth	4500	8000	18	14 8-inch.
Ariadne	4800	8000	18	14 8-inch.
Charlotte	3360	....	16	....
Loreley	2000	5400	19	2 4-inch.

The Admiralty Return makes no mention of the last ship, as she is but a despatch-vessel, but she is mentioned and particularized in the Universal Register. It is to be further observed that the first two vessels on this list are each to have a 3-inch deck, for the protection of the engines, boilers, etc., which fact has induced the Admiralty officers to designate them “protected ships,” as they do their own ships of this really unprotected type, and as they have not designated the French cruisers Tage and Cécile.

The German navy comprises a few modern and fast frigates, some of which have been honored with illustrious names, as will be seen from the following list:

GERMAN UNARMORED FRIGATES.

Name of Ship.	Displacement.	Indicated Horse-power.	Speed.	Principal Armament.


	Tons.		Knots.	Guns.
Bismarck	2850	2500	13½	16 of 3½ tons.
Moltke	2850	2500	13½	16 ” 3½ ”
Stosch	2800	2500	13½	16 ” 3½ ”
Stein	2800	2500	13½	16 ” 3½ ”
Prinz Adalbert	3860	4800	15	{ 2 ” 6 ”
Prinz Adalbert	3860	4800	15	{10 ” 3½ ”
Leipzig	3860	4800	15	10 ” 3½ ”
Charlotte	3310	3000	15	18 ” 4 ”
Gueisenau	2810	3000	15	16 ” 3½ ”