Editing Kearsarge-class battleship (section)

=== Armament ===
[[File:Kearsarge - det1994013792 01.jpg|left|upright=1.2|thumb|alt=A smaller turret on top of a bigger turret.|''Kearsarge''{{'}}s after double turret]]

The ''Kearsarge''-class battleships had two double turrets, with two [[13"/35 caliber gun|{{convert|13|in|mm|adj=on}}/35 caliber guns]] and two [[8"/35 caliber gun|{{cvt|8|in|0}}/35 caliber guns]] each, stacked in two levels. The guns and turret armor were designed by BuOrd, while the turret itself was designed by C&R. Since the turrets retained the vertical walls of the type used in the first generation of American battleships, the ports had to be very large to allow for sufficient [[Elevation (ballistics)|elevation]]. Then-Lieutenant [[William Sims]] noted that the floors of the turrets could be easily seen through the ports, and claimed that as a result, a shell fired into the port could reach the magazines below, disabling the guns.{{sfn|Friedman 2011|p=152}}{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=17, 30–32}}

The 13-inch weapons were [[built-up gun]]s of the Mark II type, mounted in Mark III turrets that were electrically trained. They were originally supplied with [[brown powder]] [[propellant]] charges that weighed nearly {{cvt|500|lb}}, later being replaced by {{cvt|180|lb}} [[smokeless powder|smokeless]] charges. The shells had a [[muzzle velocity]] of {{cvt|2000|ft/s}}, and at the [[Muzzle (firearms)|muzzle]], could penetrate up to {{cvt|25|in}} of standard steel, and at a range of {{cvt|2500|yd}}, could pierce {{cvt|20|in}} of steel. The turrets allowed depression to −5&nbsp;degrees and elevation to 15&nbsp;degrees, which provided a maximum range of {{cvt|12100|yd}}, though this was significantly in excess of what could be achieved with the rudimentary gunnery direction equipment at the time; BuOrd recommended that crews open fire at {{cvt|8000|yd}}, and even this was optimistic. The [[rate of fire]] was one shot every 320&nbsp;seconds, and the guns had to be returned to 2&nbsp;degrees elevation to be reloaded.{{sfn|Friedman 2011|pp=165–167}}

The 8-inch guns were the Mark IV version, which had a muzzle velocity of {{cvt|2080|ft/s}}. Also originally brown-powder guns, they, too, received updated smokeless charges in the early 1900s. The change improved the rate of fire from one shot per minute to one shot every forty seconds. Reloading was also fixed at 0&nbsp;degrees. They were mounted in Mark IX turrets that were fixed atop the main battery turrets. The arrangement was adopted because the significantly higher rate of fire of the 8-inch guns was thought to reduce interference between the guns, but with the adoption of smokeless propellant and rapid fire for the main battery in the early 1900s proved this to be an incorrect assumption.{{sfn|Friedman 2011|pp=167, 174–176}}

The turret guns were supported by a battery of fourteen [[5"/40 caliber gun|5&nbsp;in/40 caliber guns]] mounted individually in [[casemate]]s in the upper deck, seven on each [[Broadside (naval)|broadside]]. Once the ships entered service, it was discovered that the central battery had been placed too close to the waterline, and the casemates were frequently washed out, rendering them unusable in all but calm seas.{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}}{{sfn|DANFS Kentucky (BB-6)}} For defense against torpedo boats, they also carried twenty [[QF 6-pounder Hotchkiss|6-pounder ({{convert|57|mm|in|abbr=on|disp=or}}) Hotchkiss guns]] and eight [[QF 1 pounder pom-pom|1-pounder]] ({{convert|37|mm|in|abbr=on|disp=or}}) guns. These were also in individual open mounts distributed around the decks and [[fighting top]]s of the [[Mast (sailing)|masts]]; eight of the 57&nbsp;mm guns were placed in a broadside battery one deck above the 5-inch guns, four on either side. Four more were placed in casemates in the bow, and another four were similarly arranged toward the stern.{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}}{{sfn|Friedman 2011|p=183}} The ships also carried a pair of [[M1895 Colt–Browning machine gun]] chambered in [[6mm Lee Navy|{{cvt|6|mm}} Lee Navy]].{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=427}}

As was customary for battleships of the period, the ''Kearsarge''-class carried four [[American 18 inch torpedo|{{cvt|18|in|0}}]] [[torpedo tube]]s. These were placed in above-water mounts in the hull; two were placed abreast of the forward main battery turret and the other two were placed on either side of the aft [[superstructure]].{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}} The tubes were supplied with a total of six [[torpedo]]es.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=427}} They were initially equipped with the Mark II Whitehead design, which carried a {{convert|140|lb|adj=on}} [[warhead]] and had a range of {{convert|800|yd}} at a speed of {{convert|27|kn}}.{{sfn|Friedman 2011|p=341}}