The first four ships suffered vibration, but the Royal Navy used that experience to rearrange machinery in the later group and gain roughly 1,500 horsepower. Every member of the class exceeded its intended speed on trial, despite criticism that the design was too slow. Enclosed forward and after six-inch positions might have made the class look more modern without changing its basic armament. A photograph of Ariadne's exposed gun crew makes clear how much manual work the shielded arrangement required. The later ability to carry 354 mines demonstrates a broader advantage of a large hull: it could accept roles and equipment that tightly packed smaller ships could not.
Notable Point · 19:41-22:22
Trials, vibration, and the value of an adaptable hull
Rearranged machinery improved the later ships, while the large hull offered room for new duties such as carrying hundreds of mines.