▁of ▁the ▁Dev ons hire - class ▁ships ▁were ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁upper ▁deck ▁and ▁given ▁gun ▁shield s . ▁Their ▁cas em ates ▁were ▁pl ated ▁over ▁to ▁improve ▁se ake eping ▁and ▁the ▁four ▁ 3 - p ound er ▁guns ▁disp la ced ▁by ▁the ▁transfer ▁were ▁land ed . ▁ ▁The ▁ship ' s ▁water line ▁arm our ▁bel t ▁r anged ▁from ▁ ▁in ▁thick ness ▁and ▁was ▁closed ▁off ▁by ▁ ▁trans verse ▁bulk head s . ▁The ▁arm our ▁of ▁the ▁gun ▁tur rets ▁was ▁also ▁five ▁inches ▁thick ▁whilst ▁that ▁of ▁their ▁bar b ettes ▁was ▁six ▁inches ▁thick . ▁The ▁protect ive ▁deck ▁arm our ▁r anged ▁in ▁thick ness ▁from ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁con ning ▁tower ▁was ▁protected ▁by ▁ ▁of ▁arm our . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁and ▁service ▁ ▁Car nar von , ▁named ▁to ▁comm emor ate ▁the ▁Wel sh ▁county , ▁was ▁laid ▁down ▁by ▁William ▁Be ard more ▁& ▁Company ▁at ▁their ▁Dal mu ir ▁ship yard ▁on ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁and ▁launched ▁on ▁ 7 ▁October ▁ 1 9 0 3 . ▁She ▁was ▁completed ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁May ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁and ▁was ▁initially ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Cru iser ▁Squadron ▁of ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Fle et . ▁She ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Cru iser ▁Squadron ▁of ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Fle et ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁and ▁was ▁then ▁assigned ▁to