=============+============+=========+==========+=======+======== | | | Weight of| | |Displacement|Weight of|Armament &| |Normal Name. | (tons). | Armour |Ammunition| | Coal | | (tons). | (tons). | H.P. |(tons). -------------+------------+---------+----------+-------+-------- _Majestics_ | 14,900 | 4260 | 1500 |12,000 | 1200 _Sovereigns_ | 14,100 | 4600 | 1410 |13,000 | 900 =============+============+=========+==========+=======+======== The total dead weight carried in armament, armour, and coal thus works out at practically the same figure, despite the rise of 800 tons in displacement. On these grounds certain attacks were made upon the ships, mainly by those who argued against the unarmoured ends. The criticisms were, however, mainly of the captious order--the ships were certainly the finest specimens of naval architecture of their day. At a later date electric hoists were fitted to the 6-inch guns, and 400 tons of oil fuel were added to the fuel capacity (the maximum coal capacity being reduced by 200 tons). The first ship to be so fitted was the _Mars_. Another innovation was shifting the torpedo nets, first in the _Mars_, then in all the others, from the upper deck to the main deck level; the idea being to keep the nets clear of the 6-inch guns. The _Majestic_ and _Magnificent_ served for a long time as flagships in the Channel Fleet. Admiral Sir F. Stephenson and Sir A. K. Wilson flew their flags in the _Majestic_, of which ship Prince Louis of Battenberg was at one time captain. It was during the early service of the _Majestics_ in the Channel Fleet that “invisible” colours for warships first came into consideration, all ships up to that date being painted with black hulls, white upper works, and yellow masts and funnels. For these experiments the _Magnificent_ was painted black all over, the _Majestic_ and _Hannibal_ were given grey and light green upper works respectively. The latter was really the more “invisible” of the two, but both ships were left with black hulls. Ultimately a grey, a little darker than that which the Germans had long used, was adopted as the regulation, though for some time it varied greatly between ship and ship, following the old system under which a good deal of latitude in painting was allowed.[17]