In the Estimates for 1908–09, the armoured ships provided were reduced to two, the _Neptune_ and the _Indefatigable_. Provision in the United States, Argentine, and Brazilian Navies for ships bearing ten big guns on the broadside and the prospect of ships with equal broadsides being constructed elsewhere is presumably the reason why in the _Neptune_ the original _Dreadnought_ design was varied, and a new arrangement of turrets introduced. The _Neptune_, which is of 20,200 tons, is a species of compromise between the _Dreadnought_ and _Invincible_ designs, the amidship guns being _en échelon_, and so mounted that they give a very full arc of fire on either broadside. The increased space occupied by this arrangement necessitated a certain cramping aft, for which reason the forward of the two after turrets was superposed to train over the aftermost, American fashion. Particulars of the _Neptune_ are as follows:-- Displacement--20,200 tons. Length (over all)--546ft. Beam--85ft. Draught--29ft. Guns--Ten 12-inch, fifty calibre, twenty 4-inch. Armour--Belt 12-in. amidships, 6-in. forward, 4-in. aft. Lower deckside, 9¾-in. Turrets, 12--8-in. Machinery--Parsons Turbine. Horse-power--25,000 = 21 knots. Boilers--Yarrow. Coal--(normal) 900 tons; (maximum) 2,700 tons; oil fuel also. Built at Portsmouth Dockyard. Engined by Harland and Wolff. On trial she developed at three-quarter power I.H.P. 18,575, with a speed of nineteen knots, and at full power 27,721, with 21.78 knots. Her best maximum spurt speed was 22.7--that is to say, about one and three-quarter knots over contract. In the _Neptune_ the original _Dreadnought_ practice of mounting the anti-torpedo armament on top of the turrets was entirely abandoned, and these guns were placed inside or on top of the superstructure in three main groups. The number of torpedo tubes was reduced to three, the reason for this being partly to save space and also to take advantage of improved methods for securing rapidity of fire. In the _Neptune_ the possibility of aero craft first received consideration, the upper deck being built sufficiently thick to be proof against bombs dropped from aloft. [Illustration: “INDEFATIGABLE” AND “INVINCIBLE” 1911.] The _Neptune_ was one of the cheapest ships ever built for the British Navy, her cost working out at a little under £87 per ton. The other ship of the same programme was the _Indefatigable_, an improved _Invincible_. She represents an increase of nearly 2,000 tons over the type ship, with an increase in length of 18ft. and a foot more beam. Save for the addition of four more anti-torpedo guns the armament remains the same, but an extra inch is added to the belt. The principal improvement achieved in her is that the two amidship turrets are much less crowded up than in the type ship, thus securing a considerably better range of fire.