What does «crucero (navío de guerra)» mean in Spanish?
- A warship, usually inferior to the battleship in tonnage, armor and armament, and superior to the destroyer in size, although not generally in speed, characterized by its speed and large radius of action. The present cruiser has its antecedents in the sailing frigate, a ship that was destined for exploration, escort of other ships and harassment of enemy commerce. For a long time these ships have played a major role in the navies of many countries. At the turn of the century the protected cruisers (armored only in their main parts) displaced between 12,000 and 16,000 tons, were armed with 200 to 250 mm guns and reached speeds of 20 to 24 knots. The Home Fleet created before World War I the armored cruiser or battle cruiser, similar in size to the battleship but with fewer large calibre guns, weaker armor and higher speed. Analogous cruisers were built in Germany. The sacrifice of armor in favor of lightness resulted in greater vulnerability of these warships, as the losses suffered in the Battle of Jutland and throughout World War II demonstrated. The construction of smaller conventionally sized cruisers was faced with the problem of balancing armament, armor, speed and range.