These battleships are sometimes called semi-Dreadnoughts, because they approximate to the Dreadnought type in tonnage and armament. The displacement is 16,500 tons, length 410 ft., and engines of 16,750 h.p., giving a speed of over 18 knots. Each of these vessels is armed with four 12-in. and ten 9·2-in. breech-loading guns, all mounted in armoured turrets. The four 12-in. and eight of the 9·2-in. guns are in twin turrets, the other two 9·2-in. being in single turrets. The disposition of the armament is such that four 12-in. and five 9·2-in. can fire on each broadside. An outstanding defect is the smallness of the double 9·2-in. turrets, which hardly give elbow room to the crews and do not allow full advantage to be taken of the extraordinary rapidity with which the 9·2-in. piece can be worked when there is plenty of space. On the whole, however, these ships are extremely powerful units. For driving off torpedo craft there are twenty-four 12-pounder quick-firers mounted in the superstructure. Five torpedo tubes are fitted. Armour protection consists of a 12-in. belt amidships, and there is similar plating on the 12-in. turrets, the smaller turrets having 8-in. armour. The fuel capacity is 2,500 tons. Each battleship carries 750 officers and men and cost £1,650,000 to build and complete. BATTLE CRUISERS TIGER. (Completed 1914.) This is the largest battle cruiser in the British Navy. She was built at Clydebank, and was approaching completion at the outbreak of war. The displacement is 28,000 tons, length 660 ft., and Parsons’ turbines of 100,000 h.p. give a speed of at least 28 knots. Her armament comprises eight 13·5-in., twelve 6-in., and some smaller guns, with three torpedo tubes. The big guns are in double turrets on the centre-line, and all can be fired on either broadside. The 6-in. guns are mounted in an armoured battery. For a battle cruiser this ship is heavily armoured. She has a belt at least 10 in. thick amidships, and the turrets are of equal thickness. She can store as much as 4,000 tons of coal and oil. The complement is about 1,100 officers and men. In appearance the “Tiger” is quite unlike other British battle cruisers. She has three equal-sized funnels and only one mast. Her total cost is understood to be not less than £2,200,000. LION CLASS. (Completed 1912-13.) LION. QUEEN MARY. PRINCESS ROYAL. These battle cruisers displace 27,000 tons, are 660 ft. in length, and 88½ ft. broad. They have turbines of about 70,000 h.p., which enable them to steam at 28 knots, though this speed has been greatly exceeded in service. The main armament consists of ten 13·5-in. guns, discharging a projectile of 1,400 lb. weight, at the rate of two rounds per minute. [Illustration] _H.M.S. Bellerophon._ _Photo: Symonds & Co._ =BELLEROPHON CLASS.= BELLEROPHON, TEMERAIRE, SUPERB. Displacement: 18,000 tons. Speed: 22 knots; Guns: 10 12in., 16 4in.; Torpedo tubes: 3. [Illustration]