IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THE 20TH CENTURY, sea warfare— attacking enemy vessels or defending a ship—was revolutionized by the introduction of Dreadnought-type battleships like the Brazilian vessel below. These new ships combined the latest advances in steam propulsion, gunnery, and armor plating. The gun turret was designed to fire shells over huge distances. It was protected by armor 12 in (30 cm) thick. The measurements given for the guns of this ship refer to the bore diameter. Where “weight” is quoted, this is the weight of the shell that the gun fires. Torpedoes— as portrayed on the upper cigarette card (right)—were self-propelled underwater missiles, often steered by gyrocontrol. Depth charges were designed in the First World War for use against submerged U-boats. They are canisters filled with explosives that are detonated by depth-sensitive pistols. The lower cigarette card shows depth charges being fired by a “thrower,” fired from a torpedo tube, and rolled from the stern. Ship’s shields were fitted to warships from the late 19th century onward. The shield shown opposite depicts a traditional ship’s cannon.
The battleship
in
SEA AND AIR
published on 8:43 AM
IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THE 20TH CENTURY, sea warfare— attacking enemy vessels or defending a ship—was revolutionized by the introduction of Dreadnought-type battleships like the Brazilian vessel below. These new ships combined the latest advances in steam propulsion, gunnery, and armor plating. The gun turret was designed to fire shells over huge distances. It was protected by armor 12 in (30 cm) thick. The measurements given for the guns of this ship refer to the bore diameter. Where “weight” is quoted, this is the weight of the shell that the gun fires. Torpedoes— as portrayed on the upper cigarette card (right)—were self-propelled underwater missiles, often steered by gyrocontrol. Depth charges were designed in the First World War for use against submerged U-boats. They are canisters filled with explosives that are detonated by depth-sensitive pistols. The lower cigarette card shows depth charges being fired by a “thrower,” fired from a torpedo tube, and rolled from the stern. Ship’s shields were fitted to warships from the late 19th century onward. The shield shown opposite depicts a traditional ship’s cannon.
