e top of the two masts of the ship. We may remark in passing that
the builders saw their way at an early period of the construction to
suggest an addition to the weight of the large sized guns, and there
will actually be on the ship four 24 centimeter guns, instead of four
20 centimeter. The vessel was to carry five torpedo tubes, two forward
in the bow, one in each broadside, and one aft. All these tubes to be
fixed. To fulfill the speed condition, four boilers were necessary and
two sets of triple expansion engines, capable of developing in all
12,000 horse power.

[Illustration: PROTECTIVE DECK PLAN.]

Now that the vessel has been completely tried, the promises by the
builders may be compared with the results determined by the commission
of Spanish officers appointed by the government of Spain to say
whether the vessel fulfilled in all respects the conditions laid down
in the contract. The mean speed attained for the two hours' run was
20.6 knots, as compared with 20.5 guaranteed, but this speed was
obtained with 11,500 horse power instead of the 12,000 which the
machinery is capable of developing. The officers of the Spanish
commission were anxious not to have the vessel's machinery pressed
beyond what was necessary to fulfill the speed conditions of the
contract; but they saw enough to warrant them in expressing their
belief that the vessel can easily do twenty-one knots when required,
and she actually did this for some time during the trial.

During the natural draught trial the vessel obtained a mean speed of
18.68 knots, on an average of 943/4 revolutions--the forced draught
having been done on an average of 1051/2 revolutions. The consumption
trial, which lasted twelve hours, was made to determine the radius of
action, when the ship showed that at a speed of 11.6 knots she could
steam a distance of 5,900 knots. Further trials took place to test the
evolutionary powers of the vessel, though these trials were not
specified in the contract.

The vessel, as may be seen from the engravings, is fitted with a
rudder of a new type, known as Thomson & Biles' rudder, with which it
is claimed that all the advantage of a balanced rudder is obtained,
while the ship loses the length due to the adoption of such a rudder.
It is formed in the shape of the hull of the vessel, and as the
partial balance of the lower foreside gradually reduces the strains,
the rudder head may be made of very great service. As a matter of
fact