From which navy was the cruiser "Reina Mercedes" captured by the USA in 1898?
Cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundred years, and has had different meanings throughout this period. During the Age of Sail, the term "cruising" referred to certain kinds of missions – independent scouting, commerce protection, or raiding – fulfilled by a frigate or sloop, which were the "cruising warships" of a fleet. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers, and can usually perform several roles.
SMS Zähringen SMS "Zähringen" ("His Majesty's Ship "Zähringen"") was third ship of the "Wittelsbach" class of pre-dreadnought battleships of the German Imperial Navy. Laid down in 1899 at the Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel, she was launched on 12 June 1901 and commissioned on 25 October 1902. Her sisters were "Wittelsbach" , "Wettin" , "Schwaben" and "Mecklenburg" ; they were the first capital ships built under the Navy Law of 1898, brought about by Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz. The ship was armed with a main battery of four 24 cm guns and had a top speed of 18 kn .