The Chinese navy, though of recent growth, consists to-day of seven armored and ten unarmored ships of modern types, in addition to torpedo-boats, and to at least thirty other vessels which are not so obsolete as nine-tenths of the ships this country has in commission.
Nearly ten years ago the Chinese government realized that its wooden corvettes, gun-boats, and armed junks were no longer adapted to warfare, and ordered from the Vulcan Works at Stettin the two steel cruisers Nan Shu and Nan Shen. These are of 2200 tons displacement, and with 2400 horse-power have developed 15 knots speed; their armament is composed of two 8-inch and eight 4½-inch Armstrongs, and of lighter secondary pieces. In 1881 these ships were followed by the armored battle-ships Chen Yüan and Ting Yüan, and by the steel cruiser Tchi Yüan. The battle-ships are built of steel, and have the following dimensions: length 296.5 feet, beam 59 feet, mean draught 20 feet, displacement 7430 tons. Their compound armor extends throughout a central citadel 138 feet long, and around a nearly elliptical redoubt situated at its forward end; the side armor is five feet wide, and has a thickness of 14 inches at the water-line, of 8 inches at the lower and of 10 inches at the upper edge; the protection to the redoubt is 12, and to the conning-tower 8, inches thick. The armament consists of four 12-inch Krupps, echeloned in pairs within the redoubt; of two 5.9-inch Krupps mounted forward and aft inside of machine-gun proof turrets; of eleven Hotchkiss revolving cannons, and a supply of Whitehead torpedo-tubes. The engines are of the three-cylinder compound type, and develop 7300 horse-power and 15.5 knots. The ships have double bottoms, minutely subdivided, and in addition to a cork belt forward and abaft the citadel a steel protective deck two inches thick curves to the extremities. The twin-screw steel cruiser Tchi Yüan is of 3200 tons displacement, and has two sets of two-cylinder horizontal compound engines, which develop 2800 horse-power and a speed of 15 knots; her dimensions are: length 236 feet 3 inches, beam 34 feet 5 inches, and draught 15 feet 9 inches. The entire under-water body is covered by a curved steel deck, which is 4 inches thick, and extends 4 feet 9 inches below the water-line; the space between this deck and the one above is used for coal-bunkers. “There are two machine-gun proof turrets on the fore and aft line, the base of the forward one being surmounted by a fixed tower armored with 15-inch steel, which extends to a height sufficient to protect the base of the turret, its machinery, and gun-carriages. The armament is composed of two 8.27-inch (21 centimetre) Krupps in the forward turret, of one 5.9-inch (15 centimetre) Krupp in the after turret, of two similar guns on the main deck aft, of five Hotchkiss revolving cannons, and of a supply of Whitehead torpedoes, discharged through four above-water tubes.”[58]
The swift protected cruisers Chih Yüan and Ching Yüan were built at Elswick; the unnamed torpedo-boat is of the Yarrow type; and the coast-defence vessels King Yüan and Lai Yüan were constructed at Stettin. The displacement of the cruisers is 2300 tons, length 268 feet, beam 38 feet, depth 21 feet, and draught 14 feet forward and 16 feet aft. Each vessel has two pairs of triple-expansion engines. Both the engine and boiler rooms are divided into water-tight compartments by transverse and longitudinal bulkheads, and the machinery is so arranged that either boiler can work on one engine or on both, and the change necessary to effect this can be made while the vessel is in motion. The result of this intercommunication between each engine and each boiler is that the vessel can proceed so long as any single boiler and engine are uninjured.
In the four trial trips, two with and two against the tide, with all their weights, armament, and Chinese crews on board, they attained an average speed of 18.536 knots.
The vessels are built of steel, and have two decks, the lower one consisting of four-inch steel plates, rising in the middle above the water-line and inclined at the sides so as to dip below it. The engines, magazines, rudder-head, and steering gear lie below, and are protected by this deck. The openings in the deck are encircled by coffer-dams, armored with steel plates, inclined so as to deflect projectiles. The bows are formed and strengthened for ramming purposes. Additional protection is given to the vessel by a partition which is built on the protective deck parallel to the side of the ship; this encloses a space that is eight feet wide, and is subdivided into a great number of water-tight compartments for the stowage of four hundred and fifty tons of fuel. Both ships have double bottoms, minutely subdivided into water-tight compartments.
The armament consists of three 21-centimetre Krupp guns—two mounted forward and one aft—all on centre-pivot, shield-protected Vavasseur carriages; of two 6-inch Armstrongs on sponsons, also Vavasseur mounted; of eight 6-pounder rapid-fire Hotchkiss; and of six Gatling guns. There are four above-water torpedo-tubes—two fixed (one in the bow, firing ahead, and one aft, pointed astern) and two training, one in each broadside.
There are two electric search-lights for each vessel, with a nominal power of 25,000 candles, while the cabins and rest of the ship are lighted with incandescent lamps.
“It is humiliating,” writes the Army and Navy Gazette, “but nevertheless an actual fact, that two of the cruisers of the Chinese squadron under command of Admiral Lang are superior in certain novelties of construction to any of our own vessels of this class. In point of speed the two unarmored ships which have been turned out by the Elswick firm cannot be touched by our swiftest cruisers. They steam nearly nineteen knots an hour. The traversing and manipulation of their guns can be effected with such rapidity that when saluting the garrison at Portsmouth recently it appeared almost impossible that the guns could have been properly sponged between each discharge, the two bow guns especially keeping up a continuous roar. Only the two sponson 6-inch guns are from Armstrong’s; they are mounted on Vavasseur carriages, and fitted with singularly simple breech apparatus. The other three heavy guns are Krupp’s 21-centimetres (about 8¼-inch). These last are protected with a shield of entirely unique construction. It is of steel, and commencing from the trunnion ring spreads out into a wide shelter sufficient to accommodate the entire gun detachment. The sights are also under cover. The stern-chaser has a single shield; the two bow-chasers are included within one. The torpedo apparatus is most complete. In addition to the two tubes opening ahead and astern, which are well above the surface of the water, there are six others in connection with the torpedo-room.
“But the latest improvement which is observable on board is the steel armored conning-tower, fitted with Lord Armstrong’s patent telegraph and communications, for which a special royalty of four hundred pounds has to be paid. It is the most perfect scheme for conducting fighting operations that has ever come under our notice. A model for laying all the guns is prominently placed in front of the steering-wheel, which is under personal command of the officer in charge. On the left are tubes and telegraphs by which he can converse with the officer in command of the gun detachment, and correct any mistakes observable in the laying of the guns. Then he can fire simultaneously, if desirable, or singly, if preferred. All stations on board are also in communication with this conning-tower. Hence the entire fighting power of the vessel, torpedoes and all included, is at the disposal of the officer in command within the conning-tower. Another useful modification has been effected in these vessels. The conning-tower, which is at the foot of the foremost fighting mast, has close to it the signal station, also protected with steel armor, so that the signaller therein is absolutely secure, and close to the commanding officer, from whom he receives and to whom he communicates outside signals.”