The book provides the history and development of the Protected Cruiser class, followed by its design and construction. It examines the propulsion, armaments s and the structural protection. The Book is a solid source of the transitional age of the US Navy from wood and sail to Steal and Steam.
This is partial text from the full article (usually with photos) at https://modelshipwrights.com/news/us-navy-protected-cruisers-1883-1918