armament is very large for a U.S. vessel, consisting as it does of
four submerged and four above- water 21 -in. torpedo tubes. None
of the vessels had yet been launched in 1921.
Russia. Four battle cruisers were launched in 1915, but they had not been completed up to 1921. On a displacement of 32,200 tons, with a length of 750 ft., 12 14-in. and 24 5-in. guns and 6 torpedo tubes were to have been carried, turbine engines of 66,000 H.P. using estimated to give a speed of 27 knots. The side armour had a maximum thickness of 12 inches.
Japan. The " Tsukuba " and " Ikoma " were laid down in 1905 and the " Kurama " and " Ibuki " in 1907. These vessels are classed as battle cruisers, but they lacked the high speed consid- ered an essential feature of the battle-cruiser type. The " Tsu- kuba " was blown up in a Japanese harbour in 1917. The next
battle cruisers built by Japan were the four vessels of the " Kongo " class, launched in 1912-3, the name ship being constructed by Vick- ers at Barrow, and her sisters in Japan. These vessels resemble the " Lion " class, having an armament of 8 14-in. and 16 6-in. guns on a displacement of 27,500 tons, a speed of 27 knots being obtained with turbines developing 64,000 horse-power. The vessels are well 'tected by lo-in. (maximum) armour, and they carry a power-
ful torpedo armament of 8 submerged 2i-in. torpedo tubes. Four battle cruisers of the " Amagi " class were in 1921 under construc- tion. They were reported to be vessels of 40,000 tons displacement and 30 knots speed, with a main armament of 8 i6-in. guns.
Germany. As with the " Dreadnought " type of battleship, the Germans followed the British in their battle cruisers. The first vessel of the type, " Von der Tann," was launched in 1909. On a displacement of 19,100 tons she carried 8 n-in. and 12 5'9-in. guns. The armour belt was of lo-in. (maximum) thickness and her designed speed was 24 knots, the turbine engines developing about 45,000 horse-Dower. This speed and H.P. were exceeded on trials. The " Moltke " (1910), " Goeben " (1911), of 22,600 tons and 25 knots, and " Seydlitz " (1912), of 24,600 tons and 26 knots (fig. 40) were generally improvements on the " Von der Tann." The main arma- ment consisted of to ll-in. guns arranged as in the British " Nep- tune " (of two years earlier design), as compared with 8 13-5-in. guns in contemporary British battle cruisers. The " Goeben " was transferred to Turkey early in the war, having been in the Mediter- ranean when the war broke out. Return to Germany being impos-
sible, she escaped to Constantinople. The " Seydlitz " was badly damaged at the battles of Dogger Bank (1915) and Jutland (1916). Her return to harbour after the latter was only effected with great difficulty, and probably only the close proximity of the German coast enabled her to reach port in time. The " Derfflinger " (1913) and " Liitzow " (1913) were the first German battle cruisers to mount 12-in. guns, of which they carried eight on a displacement of 26,200 tons. The speed was 26J knots and maximum armour 12 in. thick. The " Lutzow " was sunk at the battle of Jut- land. The " Hindenburg " (fig. 41), launched in 1915 and com- pleted in 1917, and " Mackensen, ' launched in 1917 but not com- pleted, were virtually repeats of the " Lutzow," with the same arma- ment, but improved speed of 28 knots. The " Graf von Spee," also launched in 1917 but not completed, was of 27,000 tons, with six 15-in. guns as the main armament. A sister vessel, " Prinz Eitel Friedrich," had not been launched at the Armistice. The last three vessels were dismantled, as well as other battle cruisers whose construction had not been far advanced.
Light Cruisers
The light cruiser type of warship has in recent years been con- structed by very few nations (see Table VIII.). The United Stales
TABLE VII. Battle Cruisers of Non-British Navies.
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Country and Class
No. in Class
Date of Launch
Length
Breadth
Draught
Displace- ment : Tons
Speed Knots
Horse- Power
Armament
Side Armour
UNITED STATES:
ft. in.
ft. in.
ft. in.
in.
" Lexington "
6
Bldg.
874 o
105 6
31
43,500
33l
180,000
8 16 in. 16 6 in.
8
421 in. T. T.
RUSSIA:
" Navarin " .
4
I? 15 Not
750 o
IOO O
3
32,200
27
66,000
12 14 in. 24 5 in. 6 1 8 in. T. T
12
com-
pleted.
JAPAN:
4 Kongo "
4
1913
653 6
92 o
27*
27,500
27i
64,000
8 14 in. 16 6 in.
8
8 21 in. T. T.
" Amagi "
4
Bldg.
850 o
IOO O
40,000
30
8 16 in.
GERMANY:
" Blucher " .
i
1908
528 6
80 5
26*
15,500
24
32,000
12 8'2 in. 8 5-9 in.
7
417-7 in. T. T.
" Von der Tann "
i
1909
562 8
87 3
26 7
19,100
24
43-6oo
8 ii in. io 5-9 in.
9-8
4 17-7 in. T. T.
" Moltke " .
2
1910-1
610 3
96 10
26 ii
22,640
25
52,000
io ii in. 12 5-9 in.
II
4 19'7 in- T. T.
" Seydlitz " . " Derfflinger "
I
2
1912 1913
656 2
689 o
93 6 95 2
27
27i
24,610 26,180
26*
26J
63,000 63,000
ditto. 8 12 in. 12 5-9 in.
n-8
12
4 19-7 in. T. T.
" Hindenburg "
2
I9I5-7
697 o
96 3
27 *
26,640
28
85,000
8 12 in. 12 5-9 in. 6 19-7 in. T. T.
12
