Text on the reverse, "Captain Mahan, of the United States Navy, referring to Ruskin's tribute to the old ship of the line, writes of the modern battleships; 'No higher exhibition of man's creative faculties is probably anywhere to be found.' The present steel battleship is the result of half a century of evolution under the practical guidance of men of the highest intelligence and most exact scientific attainments. The first iron-clad ship in the world was built by Mr. Stevens of New York for the United States government is 1843. Ericsson's 'Monitor' was the original of the turreted battleships, which have been adopted in the American, British and Italian navies. The entire navy of Holland is of turreted ships. The 'Wisconsin' is a turreted battleship, built at San Francisco in 1899 at a cost of $2,674,950. Her main battery has four 13-inch guns and 14 six-inch guns, the secondary battery has 16 six-pounders and 12 other rapid fire guns. Captain Mahan constantly urges in his writings that a powerful navy is not so much for war as to prevent war by the silent persuasion of a force that cannot be trifled with."

Also printed on the front, "Keystone View Company, Manufacturers, Publishers, Copyright [missing date] by B.L. Singley. Made in U.S.A." "Meadville, PA., St. Louis, Mo., Portland, Ore. New York, N.Y., Toronto Can., London, Eng."