▁were ▁supplied ▁with ▁ 4 8 0   r ounds ▁of ▁am mun ition . ▁They ▁could ▁de press ▁to ▁− 7 ° ▁and ▁elev ate ▁to ▁ 1 6 . 5 ° ; ▁this ▁enabled ▁a ▁maximum ▁range ▁of ▁. ▁The ▁bar b ette ▁arrangement ▁would ▁have ▁theoretical y ▁provided ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁four ▁guns ▁firing ▁forward ▁during ▁a ▁ram ming ▁attack , ▁but ▁the ▁bl ast ▁damage ▁from ▁the ▁ships ' ▁own ▁guns ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁too ▁serious ▁to ▁permit ▁this ▁in ▁practice . ▁The ▁ships ▁were ▁also ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁six ▁ ▁L / 2 4 ▁guns ▁and ▁eight ▁ ▁Hot chk iss ▁revol ver ▁can n ons . ▁ ▁The ▁ships ' ▁arm or ▁was ▁made ▁of ▁wr ought ▁iron ▁and ▁back ed ▁with ▁te ak . ▁The ▁arm ored ▁bel t ▁was ▁composed ▁of ▁four ▁altern ating ▁layers ▁of ▁wr ought ▁iron ▁and ▁te ak . ▁The ▁outer ▁iron ▁layer ▁was ▁ ▁thick ▁amid ships , ▁back ed ▁with ▁ ▁of ▁te ak . ▁The ▁inner ▁iron ▁layer ▁was ▁ ▁thick ▁and ▁was ▁back ed ▁with ▁ ▁of ▁te ak . ▁It ▁was ▁c apped ▁with ▁ ▁thick ▁bulk head s ▁on ▁either ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁bel t . ▁The ▁thick ness ▁of ▁the ▁deck ▁arm or ▁r anged ▁from ▁. ▁The ▁forward ▁con ning ▁tower ▁had ▁ ▁thick ▁sides , ▁though ▁after ▁their ▁modern ization , ▁this ▁was ▁increased ▁to ▁ ▁thick ▁sides ▁and ▁a ▁ ▁roof ▁was ▁added . ▁A ▁rear ▁con ning ▁tower ▁was ▁also