would stand up in the face of the
severest opposition.

There were 12 modern battleships, 30 of an older type, 10 armored
cruisers, 5 first-class cruisers, 4 second-class cruisers, 16
third-class cruisers, 30 gunboats, 9 monitors, 74 destroyers, 19 torpedo
boats and 73 submarines, manned by 55,389 officers and men. The
California, Idaho, Arizona, Mississippi and Pennsylvania are the latest
battleships of the navy, and are of the super-dreadnought type. All of
these battleships have a displacement of more than 31,000 tons, and have
the most complete equipment that it is possible to command. The
batteries consist of 4 13-inch and 14 6-inch guns, 4 6-pounders,
together with 4 21-inch torpedo tubes. There is a variation in the
batteries, but all have approximately the same kind of armament.

One of these huge vessels is about 625 feet long, and has a speed of
from 21 to 23 knots. The Pennsylvania, one of the largest, is of 31,500
horsepower, and cost approximately $7,250,000. In addition to this,
Congress had authorized the construction of what is designed to be the
supreme type of fighting vessel. The plans for these vessels call for
the construction of vessels approximately 875 feet long and nearly 90
feet wide. Some idea of what enormous vessels these must be may be
gained when it is seen that the cruisers are 250 feet longer than the
super-dreadnought.

The battle cruisers have six decks, extending from end to end, and are
so extensive that they almost constitute a battlefront.

This comparison to a battlefront on land becomes interesting when
consideration of it is further pursued. There are even railroads to
fetch ammunition to the guns, though they run vertically instead of
horizontally. The general headquarters is in the conning tower, to which
all lines of "field communication" lead--telegraphs, telephones, etc.

The "observation posts," for directing and correcting the range and aim
of artillery, are at the tops of the two wire "bird-cage" masts. This
work is helped (as on land) by kite balloons and aeroplanes, which, as
part of its fighting equipment, the battle cruiser carries. To blind the
enemy ships, under suitable circumstances, the big guns create a
"barrage" of water, by directing their fire at the sea in front of the
hostile vessels, throwing over them a mass of spray.

AMPLE PROVISION FOR THE WOUNDED.

On board the battle cruiser is a fully equipped field hospital,
supplemented by battle dress