they are of the vertical compound
type, and on the speed trials developed 11,300 indicated horse power
under forced and 5,500 indicated horse power under natural draught, the
former giving a speed of 16.2 knots per hour with 90 revolutions per
minute. The boilers are eight in number, of the cylindrical marine type,
and work at a pressure of 85.3 lb. per square inch. During the trials
the steering powers of the ship were found to be excellent, but the bow
wave is said, by one critic, to have been very great.

The ship is completely belted with Creusot steel armor, which varies in
thickness from 9 in. forward to 173/4 in. midships. In addition to this
belt the ship is protected by an armored deck of 31/2 in., while the
barbette gun towers are protected with 153/4 in. steel armor with a hood
of 21/2 in. to protect the men against machine gun fire. As a further
means of insuring the life of the ship in combat and also against
accidents at sea, the Marceau is divided into 102 water-tight
compartments and is fitted with torpedo defense netting. There are two
masts, each carrying double military tops; and a conning tower is
mounted on each mast, from either of which the ship may be worked in
time of action, and both of which are in telegraphic communication with
the engine rooms and magazines. Provision is made for carrying 600 tons
of coal, which, at a speed of 10 knots, should be sufficient to supply
the boilers for a voyage of 4,000 miles.

The armament of the Marceau is good for the tonnage of the ship and
consists principally of four guns of 34 centimeters (13.39 in.) of the
French 1884 model, having a weight of 52 tons, a length of 281/2 calibers,
and being able to pierce 30 in. of iron armor at the muzzle. The
projectiles weigh 924 lb., and are fired with a charge of 387 lb. of
powder. The muzzle velocity has been calculated to be 1,968 ft. per
second. The guns are entirely of steel and are mounted on Canet
carriages in four barbette towers, one forward, one aft, and one on each
side amidships. On the firing trials both the guns and all the Canet
machinery, for working the guns and hoisting the ammunition, gave very
great satisfaction to all present at the time. In addition to the above
four heavy guns there are, in the broadside battery, sixteen guns of 14
centimeters (5.51 in.), eight on each side, and a gun of equal caliber
is mounted right forward on the same deck. The armament is completed by
a large number of Hot