The big battle-cruiser is as long as a battle-ship, or even longer; it, also, is called a dreadnaught. It has guns as large, but fewer of them; eight instead of ten. Where, then, is the difference? The difference is in the lines, which are long and slender, like those of a yacht, and in the speed, which is from twenty-eight to thirty knots instead of twenty-two or twenty-three. The cruiser has been described as a sort of naval cavalry that can fly to any weak point of the enemy, can chase a single ship or can outflank a line of ships, bring them between two fires, thus deciding the battle. The cruisers can also fight each other. A new instrument of war has thus been introduced that may, after all, once more make naval contests thrilling and dramatic instead of being mere pounding competitions. The small cruiser, in contradistinction to the large armored one, has but a light iron belt and carries only light guns and deck torpedo tubes. Its purpose is not to engage in battle, unless it be with a torpedo-boat, but rather to avoid it. It combines the qualities of scout and of torpedo-boat-destroyer, which latter type is altogether lacking in the German navy. Its chief quality is swiftness, and a swarm of small cruisers accompanies the fleet when it puts to sea, darting here and there to make sure that none of the much-dreaded little enemies is approaching. Of large torpedo-boats the German fleet has one hundred fifty-four, all of its own special type. The value of the type has at times been overestimated, at times underestimated, but the recent gains in speed and in seaworthiness have made it no contemptible adversary. Practically its only weapon is the torpedo, for projecting which it carries four tubes on deck; its small guns are merely for use against other torpedo-boats. Its chief defense is its extreme swiftness, for some of the boats have a speed of thirty-eight miles an hour. It can turn, too, incredibly quickly, for it has a rudder in the bow as well as in the stern. It is unarmored, but is painted black for its protection. For it is a creature of the night, stealing up in the darkness with its deadly weapon and scarcely ever exposing itself to the enemy’s guns by the light of day. It has one enemy, to be dreaded above all others, the search-light. [Illustration: H. M. Cruiser _Goeben_]