blitz class blitz class pair built imperial_german_navy kaiserliche_marine 1880s ships blitz steel ships kind built german_navy later light cruisers type armed gun torpedo tube principal armament capable speed excess knots mph blitz served extensively roles including flotilla leaders torpedo boats deployed german suppress anti colonial revolt fishery protection reduced blitz briefly coastal patrol vessel early world war returning tender duties ships survived war sold scrap early 1920s design blitz class step creating modern steel light cruiser ultimately come fruition class built decade later blitz class ships steel ships type built german_navy time completion earliest torpedo cruisers world general characteristics blitz class ships meters long waterline long overall beam maximum draft forward ships displaced metric tons long tons designed long tons combat load ships hulls constructed transverse longitudinal steel frames contained watertight compartments double located beneath ships engine rooms blitz crew officers enlisted men number later revised officers sailors serving torpedo boat flotilla leaders ships additional officers enlisted men ships carried smaller boats including picket boat later careers cutter added machinery ships propulsion system consisted horizontal cylinder double expansion engines single engine room engines drove pair bladed screws steam engines provided coal fired locomotive boilers early 1890s ships boilers replaced newer efficient models blitz received transverse cylindrical boilers cylindrical boilers installed ships supplied electrical power single generator operated volts built ships fitted schooner rig sail area square meters supplement steam engines later reduced rig auxiliary sails area sails removed entirely propulsion system rated indicated horsepower speed knots mph ship reached speed trials blitz managed knots mph knots mph ships carried long tons short tons coal allowed steam approximately nautical miles cruising speed knots mph steering controlled rudder armament built blitz class armed gun placed pivot mount gun supplied rounds ammunition ships equipped guns single mounts torpedo tube mounted bow ships rearmed guns single mounts torpedo tubes bow broadside submerged hull ships carry armor protection service history blitz laid kiel launched august commissioned german fleet march built shipyard wilhelmshaven keel laid launched september commissioned german fleet november ships served fleet following commissioning blitz assigned flagship torpedo boat flotilla initially served tender fleet blitz participated extensive training experimentation command future architect high_seas_fleet sent german participate suppression local revolt german colonial rule ships withdrawn line service fishery protection blitz fleet tender blitz serving respectively outbreak world war august blitz mobilized coastal patrol ship remained tender blitz returned tender duties ships sold scrapping early 1920s
Blitz-class aviso