World War 1 History- Light Cruisers

The first light cruiser, the H.M.S. Mercury, was launched in 1878, however in the next thirty years the light cruiser developed greatly, evolving from a glorified ironclad to a large, powerful steam ship mounting six inch guns. The Arethusa class (1911) featured four six inchers, and four inchers along with four torpedo tubes. Coupled with a destroyer-like 54 km/h, the Arethusa class became a strong weapon in the great scheme of World War 1. Studying www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arethusa_class_cruiser_(1912) , nearly every ship built engaged in active combat, with many sinking or destroying enemy ships. The cruiser class, specifically the light cruiser class, was an excellent combination of a destroyer and a capital ship, giving plenty of flexibility.