In destroyers she was well equipped, having 143 ready for service
when war was declared. Her twenty-seven submarines were of the most
improved type, and much about their construction and armament she
was able to keep secret from the rest of the world. It is probable
that even their number was greater than the intelligence departments
of foreign navies suspected. The best type had a speed on the surface
of 18 knots and could travel at 12 knots when submerged. The type
known as _E-21_, of the design of 1914, measured 213 feet 8 inches
in length and had a beam of 20 feet.
Austria, though not renowned for her naval strength, had certain
units which brought up the power of the Teutonic powers considerably.
She had nine first-class battleships, the _Erzherzog Karl, Erzherzog
Ferdinand Max, Erzherzog Friedrich, Zrinyi, Radetzky, Erzherzog
Franz Ferdinand, Teggethoff, Prinz Eugen_, and _Viribus Unitis_.
These, at the time Austria went to war, ranged in age from nine
years to one year, and varied in displacement from 10,000 tons
to 20,000 tons. The largest guns carried by any of them measured
12 inches, and the fastest, the _Prinz Eugen_, made 20 knots. Of
secondary importance were the battleships _Kaiserin Maria Theresia,
Kaiser Karl VI_, and _St. Georg_. The register of battleships was
supplemented with ten light cruisers of exceptionally light
displacement, the highest being only 3,966 tons.
Pages:
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285