The World’s Battleships

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 12, 16 September 1908, Page 53

The World’s Battleships

PARTIC VARS OF THE NATION’S FIGHTING SHIPS.

In the following list will be found the battleship fleets of the five great navies of the world. On this class of warship, and this alone, the nations rely for what they can do in a sea fight. Armoured cruisers and lesser vessels have their important functions, but the battleships are the first line of defence, and on their superiority and number the nation's freedom depends. In this table no consideration is given to vessels building or completing, only those that would be engaged in the fighting-line to-day being taken into account:—

Total, 65 ships, carrying 164 12-ineh guns, 68 13-inch, and larger guns but of older pattern, 28 10-inch guns, and 52 9.2 guns, or 312 great guns in all. Vessels marked with an asterisk carry older 13-inch guns, which are not as powerful as the modem 12-ineh. To the foregoing list could be added, with reason, the three great improved Dreadnoughts — Bellerophon, Temeraire, and Superb, each of 18,600 tons, and carrying 10 12-ineh guns, which were launched last year, and will be placed in commission within the next few months The giant battleship cruiser Indomitable, with her sisters, Invincible and Inflexible, each of 17,250 tons, and carrying 24 12-ineh guns between them, would also doubtless find their place in the battle fleet line, and would easily overwhelm any of the foreign battleships built prior to 1900.

Total 26 battleships, carrying seventyone 12-ineh and older 13-inch guns, thirty 10.8-ineh guns, and eight 9-inch guns, or 109 great guns in all. The asterisk denotes the vessels carrying the old pattern 13.2-ineh guns. The Admiral Baudin and Formidable carry 14-ineh guns. France, laid down in 1906-7 three ships of the Dreadnought type, each of 18,320 tons, and heavily armed, and proposes to build three others immediately, but as the first three of them will not be in commission until next year they are not taken into consideration.

Total, 17 ships, mounting 101 great guns, ineluding fifty 12-inch, forty-seven 10-inch, and four 9-inch guns. GERMANY.

Total, 29 battleships, carrying 88 11inch guns, ami 48 9.4-guns, giving a battery of 136 groat guns. Germany has under construction and nearing completion three vessels of the improved Dreadnought class, while a fourth —the Nassau—was launched early this year. These vessels are of 19,000 tons, and will each carry sixteen 11-inch guns.

Total, 28 ships, carrying 114 12-ineh guns and 132 8-ineh guns, or 246 great guns in alt. Note.—ln the case of the early vessels of the American Navy, those denoted by an asterisk are armed with the old pattern 13-ineh guns, and have been credited with carrying 12-incb, but the older, though larger, gun does not possess the penetrating power of the smaller-bore weapon. The United States Government have also under construction two large vessels of 20,000 tons, to carry ten 12-ineh grins each.

GREAT BRITAIN. Speed Kts. DisplaceGuns. ment, Tons. 12 In. 10 in. 9.2 In. Dreadnought ... 17,900 10 0 0 21.6 Lord Neisou ... 16,500 4 0 10 18 Agamemnon .... 16,500 4 O 10 18 A1 rica 4 0 4 18.5 Britannia 10.350 0 4 18.5 Hibernia 10,350 4 o 18.5 New Zealand . . 16,350 4 0 4 18.5 Hindustan .... 16,350 4 0 4 18.5 King Edw. VII. 16.350 4 0 4 18.5 Dominion 16,350 4 0 4 18.5 Commonwealth 16,350 4 0 4 18.5 Queen 15,000 4 0 0 • 18 Prince of Wales 15,000 4 0 0 18.4 London 15,000 4 0 0 18 Bulwark 15,000 4 0 o 18 Venerable ' 15,000 4 0 0 18.4 Formidable .... 15,000 4 0 0 18 Irresistible .... 15,000 4 0 0 18 Implacable .... 15,000 4 0 0 18 Caesar 14,900 4 0 0 17.5 Hannibal 14,900 4 0 0 17 Illustrious 14,900 4 0 o 17.5 Jupiter 14,900 4 0 0 18.5 Mars 14,900 4 o 0 18 Prince George . 14,900 4 0 0 18 Victorious 14,900 4 0 0 17.5 Magnificent .... 14,900 4 0 0 18 Majestic 14,000 4 0 o 18 Dunean 14,000 4 0 0 19 Cornwallis 14,000 4 0 0 19 Exmouth 14,000 4 0 0 19 Russell 14,000 4 0 0 19 Albemarle 14,000 4 0 0 19 Vengeance 12,950 4 0 0 17 Albion ......... 12,950 4 0 0 17 Canopus 12,950 0 0 17 Glory 12,950 4 0 0 17 GoHath 12,960 4 0 0 17 Ocean 12,950 0 o 17 Swiftsure 11,800 O 4 0 20 Triumph 11,800 0 4 0 20 Renown 12,350 o 4 0 18 Barflenr 10,500 o 4 0 18.5 Centurion 10,500 o 4 o 18.5 *Emp. of India . 14,150 4 0 0 17 ♦Ramillies 14,150 4 0 0 17 14,150 4 0 0 17 ♦Resolution .... 14,150 4 0 0 17 ♦Revenge 14,150 4 0 0 17 *Royal Oak .... 14,150 4 0 0 17 *Royal Sover'gn 14,150 4 0 0 17 ♦Hood 14,150 4 0 0 17.5 ♦Nile 11,940 4 0 0 17.5 ♦Trafalgar 11,940 4 0 0 17.5 ♦Benbow 10,600 4 0 0 16 * Anson 10.000 4 0 0 17.2 ♦Camperdown .. 10,600 4 0 0 17.2 ♦Rodney 10,300 4 0 0 17.2 Howe 10,300 4 0 0 17 Colossus 9,420 4 0 o 14 Edinburgh 9,420 4 0 o 14 Devastation .... 9,330 0 4 0 14 Thunderer 9,330 0 4 0 14 Hero 6,200 2 0 0 15

FRANCE. DisplaceGuns. ment. 12 10.8 9 Speed. Ship. Tons. Io. In. In. Kts. iRepublique .... . 14,865 4 0 0 18 Patrie , 14,865 4 0 0 18 Justice , 14,865 4 0 0 18 .Democratic .... 14,865 4 0 0 18 Liberte 14,863 4 0 0 18 Verite 4 0 0 18 Suffren , 12,728 4 0 0 18 Charlemagne .. 11,260 4 0 0 18 St. Louis . 11,260 4 0 0 18 Gaulois 11,260 4 0 0 18 Henri IV 8,948 O 2 0 17 Bouvet , 12,205 2 o 0 18 Massena 11,031 2 2 0 18 Jareguiberry .. 11.824 a 2 0 18 Carnot . 11,986 11,882 2 2 0 18 Charles Martel 2 2 0 18

♦Brennus 10,983 3 0 • 18 •lloehe 10,900 2 0 15.2 •Magenta 10,600 4 0 0 16 •Marceau 10.600 4 0 0 16 •Neptune 10,000 4 0 0 16 •Aiuiral Baudiu 12,150 3 2 0 15 •Formidable ... 12,150 a 2 0 15 it’ourbet 10,000 0 4 2 15 Devastation ... 10,(.MIO 0 4 2 15 Redoubtable ... 9,400 0 4 4 14.6

Ship. JAPAN. Displacement. Tons. 12 In. Guns. 10.8 In. 9 In. Speed. Kts. Akl ,.. 19,800 4 12 0 20 Satsuma .. 19,800 4 12 0 20 Katori ... 15,950 4 4 0 184 Kashima ... .. . 15.950 4 4 0 18J iMikasa .. 16,350 4 4 0 IS Asahi ,.. 15,200 4 0 0 18 Shikishima .. .. 15,000 4 0 0 18 Swanii ... 13,516 4 0 0 18 Hizeii .. 12,700 4 0 0 18 Sa garni ,.. 12,074 O 4 0 19 Suwo ... 12,674 0 4 0 18.5 Fuji .. 12,300 4 0 0 18 Tauio .. 10,950 4 0 0 16.2 Miuoshima .. 4,126 0 0 4 16 Ok mosh ima .. 4,126 0 3 0 16 Iki 9,700 2 0 0 16.5 •Chin Yea ... .. 7,350 4 0 0 14.5

Ship. Displacement. Tons. Guns. 11 In. 9.4 Speed. In. Kts. Deutsehland 13,200 4 0 18 Pemmeru 13,200 4 0 18 Hanover 13,200 4 0 18 ••Q.” 13,200 4 0 18 Schlesien 13,200 4 0 18 Braunsehweig ... 13,200 4 0 18 Elsass 13,200 4 0 18 Preussen 13.200 4 0 18 Hessen 13.200 4 0 18 Lothringen 13,200 4 0 18 Witbelsbaeb 11,900 0 4 18 Wittin 11,900 0 4 18 Tahringen 11,900 0 4 18 Mecklenberg 11,900 0 4 18 Sebwaben 11,900 0 4 18 K. Frederi.-h Hl... . 11,130 0 4 18 K. Wilhelm 11... 11,130 0 4 18 K. Wilhelm der G . 11.130 0 4 18 K. Barbarossa .. 11,130 0 4 18 K. Karl der G... 11,130 0 4 18 Worth 10,033 6 0 17 Wissenburg 10.033 6 0 17 Kurfurst Wilhelm 10,033 6 0 17 Brandenburg .... 10.033 (, 0 17 Baden 7,400 tt 0 17 Bayern 7,400 6 0 17 Wurttemhurg .... 7,400 0 17 7.400 6 0 17 Oldenburg ..... 5,200 0 & 13

UNIT! :d states. Ship. Displacement. Tons. Guns. 12 I) In. In. Speed Kts. Michigan 16,000 8 0 18.5 South Carolina . . 10,000 8 8 18.5 New Hampshire.. 17,650 4 8 19.6 Kansas 17.650 4 8 19.6 M innesota 17.650 4 8 19.6 Vermont 17.650 4 8 19.6 Connecticut 17.600 4 8 18 Louisiana 17,600 4 8 18 Virginia 15,320 4 4 19 Rhode Island .... s 15,320 4 4 10 New Jersey 15.320 4 4 19 Nebraska 15,320 4 4 19 Georgia 15,320 13,000 4 4 19 Idaho 4 8 17 Mississippi 13,000 4 8 17 Maine 13.500 4 0 18 Missouri 13,500 4 0 18 Ohio 13,500 4 0 18 ♦Illinois . 11,565 4 0 17 ♦Wisconsin 11.565 4 0 17 * Alabama 11,565 4 0 17 ♦Koa range 11.540 4 4 16 ♦Kentucky 11.540 4 4 16 Iowa 11,540 4 8 17 ♦Indiana 10.288 4 8 15 ♦Massachusetts .. 10,288 4 8 15 *OieM'»i» 10,288 4 8 15 Texas 6,3X5 2 0 17