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THE NEW SPANISH ARMORED CRUISER REINA REGENTE.

[Illustration:  The new Spanish armored cruiser Reina Regente.]

The new armored cruiser Reina Regente, which has been built and engined by Messrs. James & George Thomson, of Clydebank, for the Spanish government, has recently completed her official speed trials on the Clyde, the results attained being sufficient to justify the statement made on her behalf that she is the fastest war cruiser in the world.  She is a vessel of considerable size, the following being her measurements:  Length over all, 330 ft., and 307 ft. between perpendiculars; breadth, 501/2 ft.; and her draught is 20 ft., giving a displacement of 5,000 tons, which will be increased to 5,600 tons when she is fully equipped.

This vessel belongs to the internally protected type of war cruisers, a type of recent origin, and of which she is the largest example yet built.  The internal protection includes an armored deck which consists of steel plates ranging from 3-1/8 in. in thickness in the flat center to 43/4 in. at the sloping sides of the deck.  This protective deck covers the “vitals” of the ship, the machinery, boilers, etc.  Then there is a very minute subdivision in the hull of the ship, there being, in all, 156 water-tight compartments, 83 of which are between the armored deck and the one immediately above it, or between wind and water.  Most of these compartments are used as coal bunkers.  Of the remainder of the water-tight compartments, 60 are beneath the armor.  Throughout her whole length the Reina Regente has a double bottom, which also extends from side to side of the ship.  In order to keep the vessel as free of water as possible, there have been fitted on board four 14 in. centrifugal pumps, all of which are connected to a main pipe running right fore and aft in the ship, and into which branches are received from every compartment.  These pumps are of the “Bon Accord” type, and were supplied by Messrs. Drysdale & Co., Glasgow.

Not being weighted by massive external armor, the Reina Regente is unusually light in proportion to her bulk, and in consequence it has been rendered possible to supply her with engines of extraordinary power.  They are of the horizontal triple expansion type, driving twin screws, and placed in separate water-tight compartments.  The boilers, four in number, are also in separate compartments.  Well above the water line there are two auxiliary boilers, which were supplied by Messrs. Merryweather, London, and are intended for raising steam rapidly in cases of emergency.  These boilers are connected with all the auxiliary engines of the ship, numbering no fewer than forty-three.