[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, 50½ 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 4¾ 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