Although weight of armor is in a manner a direct measure of defensive power, it is an objectionable feature and one whose difficulty of counteraction has been almost insurmountable owing to the excessive cost of steel, whose superiority in the end was extremely doubtful. Within the past few years, however, a happy combination of iron and steel has been made which will go far towards saving percentage in weight, although apparently it will for some time to come make a saving in this direction of only the percentage between iron and steel framing. With iron framing and compound armor the same results of weight of hull and armor together may be attained that now hold with steel framing and iron armor, with the advantages of an increase in defensive power at about the same cost. Wherever it is a question of rearmoring vessels, the compound armor is a great gain to the fighting power of the vessel, although in general the expense of the change is more than the result would warrant. The highest advantages of this armor are reaped by the second-rate cruisers, who retain their speed and coal capacity with an increase of defensive power that brings them within the fighting lines of first-rates. Capacity for fuel is a matter of the greatest importance in time of war. England alone of all the maritime nations can afford to neglect this point. A man-of-war without steaming-power in war-time is helpless, and yet by the precepts of international law she is debarred from getting this material in foreign ports. Russia, having a peculiarly vulnerable home coast, easily closed and hard to reach, has with great wisdom sacrificed all qualities in her fast cruisers to the two of speed and coal capacity. Keeping her sail-power as the constant factor, the two important ratios of ordnance and armor are reduced to the lowest point, their gain being entirely transferred to the coal capacity. In considering the most advantageous method of placing and distributing armor, problems without end arise whose consideration requires the most careful weighing of all the different circumstances of its use, and yet it is in this particular that are generally found the most positive assertions and criticisms from those who have given but little or no attention to the subject. For the protection of the battery and above-water sections of a vessel the extremes of position of armor are the vertical, giving the greatest possible extent of protection, and the horizontal, giving none.