, ▁a ▁height ▁of ▁ ▁above ▁the ▁water line ▁and ▁reached ▁ ▁below ▁it . ▁Between ▁the ▁central ▁cit adel ▁and ▁the ▁bow , ▁the ▁bel t ▁arm our ▁was ▁ ▁thick ▁and ▁it ▁extended ▁to ▁the ▁stern ▁with ▁a ▁thick ness ▁of ▁. ▁Trans verse ▁bulk head s ▁six ▁inches ▁thick ▁protected ▁the ▁cit adel ▁from ▁ra king ▁fire . ▁ ▁The ▁faces ▁of ▁the ▁gun ▁tur rets ▁were ▁ 7 . 5 ▁inches ▁thick ▁with ▁ ▁sides ▁and ▁a ▁ ▁roof . ▁The ▁bar b ettes ▁were ▁protected ▁by ▁six ▁inches ▁of ▁arm our ▁as ▁were ▁the ▁am mun ition ▁ho ists , ▁although ▁the ▁arm our ▁for ▁those ▁th inned ▁to ▁three ▁inches ▁between ▁the ▁arm our ▁bel t . ▁Two - inch ▁arm our ▁screens ▁separated ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁six - inch ▁guns . ▁The ▁thick ness ▁of ▁the ▁lower ▁deck ▁was ▁only ▁ ▁except ▁for ▁a ▁patch ▁of ▁ ▁arm our ▁over ▁the ▁ste ering ▁g ear ▁and ▁another ▁ ▁thick ▁over ▁the ▁engine ▁cyl ind ers . ▁The ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁con ning ▁tower ▁were ▁ ▁thick . ▁ ▁Mod ifications ▁The ▁fun n els ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁too ▁short ▁in ▁service ▁and ▁they ▁were ▁raised ▁about ▁ ▁four ▁years ▁after ▁completion ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁super structure ▁free ▁of ▁smoke ▁in ▁a ▁following ▁wind . ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁both ▁ships ▁had ▁all ▁their ▁six - inch ▁guns ▁removed , ▁the ▁em bras ures ▁pl ated ▁over , ▁and ▁six ▁of ▁the ▁guns