▁te ak ▁backing . ▁The ▁ships ▁had ▁six teen ▁wat ert ight ▁compart ments ▁and ▁a ▁double ▁bottom ▁that ▁ran ▁for ▁ 6 0   percent ▁of ▁the ▁length ▁of ▁the ▁h ull . ▁ ▁The ▁German ▁n avy ▁regarded ▁the ▁ships ▁as ▁poor ▁sea ▁boats , ▁with ▁severe ▁rolling , ▁and ▁a ▁t endency ▁to ▁take ▁on ▁water . ▁The ▁ships ▁had ▁a ▁very ▁small ▁turning ▁radius , ▁however , ▁and ▁were ▁quick ▁to ▁answer ▁commands ▁from ▁the ▁hel m . ▁Their ▁standard ▁complement ▁consisted ▁of ▁ 3 2 ▁officers ▁and ▁ 2 8 5 ▁en list ed ▁men , ▁and ▁while ▁serving ▁as ▁a ▁division ▁flags hip , ▁this ▁could ▁be ▁augment ed ▁by ▁an ▁additional ▁seven ▁officers ▁and ▁thirty - four ▁sail ors . ▁After ▁their ▁reconst ruction ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 0 s , ▁the ▁ships ' ▁cre ws ▁were ▁significantly ▁increased , ▁to ▁ 3 3 ▁officers ▁and ▁ 3 4 4 ▁en list ed ▁men , ▁and ▁later ▁to ▁ 3 5 ▁officers ▁and ▁ 4 0 1 ▁en list ed ▁men . ▁The ▁ships ▁carried ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁smaller ▁boats , ▁including ▁one ▁pick et ▁boat , ▁one ▁launch , ▁one ▁p inn ace , ▁two ▁cut ters , ▁one ▁y aw l , ▁and ▁one ▁d ing hy . ▁ ▁The ▁four ▁ships ▁were ▁power ed ▁by ▁two ▁ 3 - cy l inder ▁single - exp ansion ▁steam ▁engines . ▁The ▁ships ' ▁engines ▁drove ▁a ▁pair ▁of ▁four - bl aded