Oden's guns and the torpedo-boat problem

Oden's 4.7-inch and 57 mm guns give it a credible answer to torpedo boats, which matters because small craft were central to late-19th-century coastal defence arguments. Its 10-inch guns still demand respect from larger attackers, but the calibre is awkward. A 10-inch gun has much of the loading, handling, and installation burden of a 12-inch weapon without matching its striking power. It also lacks the faster fire and easier handling of smaller heavy guns such as 9.2-inch or 8-inch weapons. Oden's 84.8 metre length, 14.78 metre beam, 5.28 metre draught, 3,445-ton displacement, and 16.5-knot speed make those compromises visible in the ship's whole design.