The Express.
London, England, 1851-04-22 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY

Of a projtstile apes mita Fateltalatted. .bag a
FWray lira ;II la place 'ofload a
ling-pubeynth a doable charge of powder and a
swab-she shot, and fire at a &dance of some
eight oi,,ban yard's. Soft as lead is, it will make a
ttitsan. nand hole through the hard copper of the
penny Om. If the penny piece will offer so little
resistance to a leaden shot, what can be expected
from the- thin iron sides of a ship against for-
midable powers of the new 68 and 84-pounders?
When a ballet is fired through a wooden panel
the strength with which it is fired is so great and
the resistance offered by the wood is so small that
the latter, offering no resistance, appears as if it
parted of its own accord ; and, after allowing the
metal to pass through, the bruised and remaining
particles instantaneously cling together again, and
therefore, in ships, present an obstacle to the admis-
sion of water. In the case of metals, on the other
hand, the adhesion of the particles to one another is
so great and tke resistance so strong that it is a case
of the weaker body giving way before the harder.
Therefore, in iron vessels, it is a simple case of
double shotting the enemy's guns ; and the wounds
from these ragged pieces of plate must be of a most
dreadful nature.
In the year 1845, experiments were tried in Wool-
wich Marshes upon iron targets lined with wood,
and the iron was still found unsuccessful. But they
did not seem to have been in connexion with iron
vessels. However, in the year 1850, the Admiralty
directed their attention to the subject. A large
butt, built in imitation of a section of the Simoom,
was made in the Dockyard, representing the two
sides of an iron vessel, each side the strength and
consistency of the Simoom. This butt was erected
on the mud, at a distance of 460 yards from the Excel-
lent. The practice was carried on from guns of various
calibre and with various charges. It was found
that on the side which the shot entered, a large and
tolerably round hole was made in the iron plate, the
circumference being much jagged, and the edge
turned inward. (hi the ojiimsde side, where the
shot passed out, the hale was larger, and also
jagged, the edge of the whole turned outwards, with
occasionally some rivets started. Some of the shot
on entering, from striking against the angles of the
iron ribs, were broken in pieces, the fragments passing
lout at the opposite side making holes of various sizes
and formations. Shells also appear to have a de-
Istructive effect on iron-work in creating splinters,
I the pieces of shell passing out through the plates
lat the opposite side—the off side in all cases suffer-
ling most. To test the effect of splinters inside the
vessel, a slight plank bulkhead had been run up be-1
tween the iron sides of the vessel. This was
found entirely shattered. Is not this a sufficient con-
elusion? To corroborate the truth of the experiment
were present Sir BLADES C.tPEL, Commander-in
Chief at Portsmouth, Hear-Admiral Pitt .scorr, Cap-
taM Cm ens, of the Excellent, and a host of nasal
and military officers.
The champions of iron boats pmmisc to produce,
plates and other contrivances for stopping up
these holes. What do they mean by stopping
up holes in an action ? 'Have they any idea
What an action is? We will merely quote a single
Instance of one, and we have chosen it because it is
generally known that of the Shannon and Chesa-
peake. From the time it begun till the Shannon's
men boarded was eleven minutes; after boarding,
tour minutes. During this space of time the Shannon
had five shot passed through her. Several more
lodged in her side, ranged in line just below the
copper. A bar shot entered just below the water-
mark, leaving a foot sticking out at one end. The
Chesapeake was severely battered in her hull. One
shot passed through one of her transoms,equal in stout-
-12(1111 to a 61-gun ship. Fancy the water pouring in
through the openings made by a 4;8-pounder below
the water-mark.
The iron boat associations are not, however, aghast
even at this. They allege that by an inward coating
of kamptulikon, some mixture of cohesive sub-
stances with rags, the sante tendency to till and stop
the hole by shot, which is observable in wod, might
also be Communicated to the iron. Certainly evert'
fair play ought to be given to such experiments; and
I conducted as these are about to be, at the expense
of the projectors, there can be no objection to them.
But we tear that the partisans are likely as a re-
sult to have their favourite metal not restored to the
character of being able to resist shot. But for all
that iron vessels have their uses, as well as wooden
ones. Swifter they can undoubtedly be made, and
for coast service surer craft. As troop ships, us store
ships, or packets, or as the locomotive power of the
great wooden battery; called a man-of-war, iron
steamers can be put to valuable use. Speed, we
maintain, is the first requisite for a packet, or for
vessels to bear tidings even in time of war. To be
be able to get out of shot with alacrity is as high a
quality for such vessels, as being able to stand it.
'there is such a thing as light cavalry in the military
service, which is never put to confront a buttery.
But such reginicats are indispensable, and so would
be iron steamers.