▁sc rew s ▁that ▁were ▁ ▁in ▁diameter . ▁The ▁engines ▁were ▁supplied ▁with ▁steam ▁by ▁eight ▁coal - f ired ▁tr unk ▁bo ilers . ▁The ▁eight ▁bo ilers ▁were ▁tr unk ed ▁into ▁four ▁fun n els ▁arranged ▁in ▁a ▁square ▁amid ships . ▁This ▁arrangement ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁ships ▁being ▁nick named ▁Z ement fab ri ken ▁( cement ▁fact ories ). ▁Three ▁gener ators ▁provided ▁ 6 9   kil ow att s ▁of ▁elect rical ▁power ▁at ▁ 6 5   vol ts . ▁The ▁ships ' ▁designed ▁speed ▁was ▁, ▁at ▁. ▁All ▁four ▁ships ▁exceed ed ▁this ▁speed ▁on ▁tri als ▁by ▁between ▁one ▁half ▁to ▁one ▁kn ot . ▁The ▁ships ▁were ▁designed ▁to ▁store ▁ ▁of ▁coal , ▁though ▁they ▁could ▁be ▁modified ▁to ▁carry ▁up ▁to ▁. ▁The ▁ships ▁could ▁steam ▁for ▁ ▁at ▁a ▁cru ising ▁speed ▁of ▁. ▁At ▁maximum ▁speed , ▁the ▁ships ' ▁ranges ▁were ▁reduced ▁to ▁. ▁The ▁four ▁Sachsen - class ▁ships ▁were ▁the ▁first ▁large , ▁arm ored ▁war ships ▁built ▁for ▁the ▁German ▁n avy ▁that ▁re lied ▁entirely ▁on ▁engines ▁for ▁prop ulsion . ▁ ▁Arm ament ▁and ▁arm or ▁▁ ▁The ▁Sachsen - class ▁ships ▁were ▁armed ▁with ▁six ▁ ▁L / 2 2 ▁guns ▁mounted ▁in ▁two ▁arm ored ▁bar b ettes , ▁one ▁forward ▁and ▁one ▁amid ships . ▁Two ▁guns ▁were ▁placed ▁in ▁the ▁forward ▁bar b ette ▁and ▁four ▁were ▁mounted ▁in ▁the ▁amid ships ▁position . ▁These ▁guns