These were the first ships of the British Navy in which Krupp cemented armour was used. This armour, generally known as “K.C.,” has approximately a resisting power three times that of iron armour. That is to say, the 9in. belts of the _Formidables_ were approximately 33 per cent. more effective than the similar belts of the _Majestics_. These ships proved faster and more handy, easily exceeding their designed eighteen knots. The superior handiness was brought about by a superior form of hull--the deadwood aft being cut away for the first time in them. In this year’s Estimates armoured cruisers definitely re-appeared, six ships of the _Cressy_ type being laid down. Particulars of these:-- Displacement--12,000 tons. Length--454ft. Beam--69½ft. Draught--(maximum) 28ft. Armament--Two 9.2, 40 cal., twelve 6-inch, 45 cal., twelve 12-pounders, two 18in. submerged tubes. Armour--6in. Krupp belt amidships, 250ft. long by 11½ft. wide, 2in. continuation to the bow. Barbettes 6in. Casemates 5in. Horse power--21,000 = 21 knots. Coal--(normal) 800 tons; (maximum) 1,600 tons. ============+============+===========+============ Name. | Laid down. | Built at. | Engines by. ------------+------------+-----------+------------ _Sutlej_ | Aug. ’98 | Clydebank | Clydebank _Cressy_ | Oct. ’98 | Fairfield | Fairfield _Aboukir_ | Nov. ’98 | Fairfield | Fairfield _Hogue_ | July, ’98 | Vickers | Vickers _Bacchante_ | Dec. ’99 | Clydebank | Clydebank _Euryalus_ | July, ’99 | Vickers | Vickers ============+============+===========+============ In substance these ships were armoured editions of the _Powerful_. They steamed very well in their time, but have now fallen off considerably and are no longer of any importance. Total weight of armour 2,100 tons. An innovation introduced in these ships was the fitting of non-flammable wood, which at a later date was objected to on the grounds that it deteriorated the gold lace of the uniforms stored in drawers made of it. The _Cressy_ was completed in 1901; the others, excepting the _Euryalus_, in 1902. This latter ship was greatly delayed from various causes, and not completed until 1903. The 1898–99 Estimates consisted of three battleships and four armoured cruisers. The battleships were practically sisters to the _Formidable_, but differed from her in that the main belt, instead of being a patch amidships, has a total length of 300ft. from the bow. At the bow it is 2in., quickly increasing to 4in., 5in., 6in., and finally to 9in., and this provided a measure of protection that the 2in. belts of preceding ships could never afford. The flat-sided turrets, first introduced in the _Vengeance_, were also fitted in these ships, the _Formidables_ having the old pattern turrets.