The 1884 naval estimates show what the class was meant to do before its later obsolescence is judged. The proposed belted cruisers extended the commerce-protection line from the Leander and Mersey classes by substituting a belt for an armoured deck. They formed one element of a mixed construction plan that also included a first-class ironclad, torpedo rams, scouts, and recurring orders for first-class torpedo boats. The parliamentary argument balanced gun power, armour, sea-keeping, coal endurance, torpedo attack, construction speed, and the number of ships obtainable for a fixed sum. This context makes the Orlandos products of an explicit force-structure problem rather than isolated design mistakes.
Chapter · 1:11:47-1:17:12
The Orlando class in the 1884 commerce-protection programme
Parliament presented the Orlandos as belted cruisers for commerce protection within a mixed programme of capital ships, scouts, torpedo rams, and torpedo boats.