The 1897 Naval Annual criticizes the Arrogant class for weak armament relative to displacement and speed below that of earlier British cruisers and modern foreign ships. Its comparison points to smaller Elswick cruisers, including Buenos Aires, with equally powerful armament and a stated speed of 23 knots. Coal figures require care because the amount carried at a specified draught differs from total bunker capacity, given as at least 1,000 tons for Arrogant. Speed is treated as a principal cruiser requirement, with the qualification that gun power should remain adequate. Columbia and Minneapolis supply the annual's example of taking the pursuit of speed too far.
Notable Point · 1:06:05-1:06:48
The 1897 Naval Annual's criticism of the Arrogant cruisers
A contemporary critique tests the Arrogant class against smaller cruisers and distinguishes useful speed from speed obtained at the expense of gun power.