The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-05 00:00:00

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that science is also transitionary, the shiP ;do
the transport of merchandise may be employo
she is worn out, whilst the vessel ot war u'ilt`
at once useless in the presence of more fie,
rivals. Now, it has happened that, since 6t
mination of the wars of the first French
_44
the art of building ships of war has uni!oof
such frequent changes that the maritime .cji
of the world have, though during a Peltil
uninterrupted peace, been compelled to rebuildeit
navies several times. When steam supereetiod
exclusive eae of sails, and paddles were can to
the best, if not the only, means by which,ft
could be applied as a motive power, esre,j'l,
vessel turned out of a Government dockyarusr
paddle-box steamer. In time paddle-hele,e
place to screws, and again the fleets of Bal.oa
remodelled. Soon after it was discovered t ,
power of ships was by no means properties
their size, and thereupon the ships.of-tb.e;el
which maritime nations took so great a 101:',4
for whose construction they paid no inconsTo
sums of money, were cut down and reduced
„y
frigate size. Then came the age of armouvAre‘
vessels of war, The employment of iron spud
as a means of protection to the hulls of
,1
occasioned the most serious and the most eui.
all the changes in the science of shipbuilding;
have been effected in late years. S 3 soon 01,
came manifest that a single armoureplateud
could, with comparative impunity, destrol:i
tire fleet of ships unprovided with similar 07
/
defence, it became incumbent on every 01
nation desirous of maintaining its previous i
on the seas to construct a sufficient number
new class of vessels to compensate for the ,0
inutility of their existing fleets. When tli
ligence of the exploits of the Confederate ilti,
the Merrimac, in Hampton roads reached tliPli
try, the limes stated that the navy of Greoelt
tain was virtually reduced to a single veilie
Warrior, the ship now about to be dismaoetj .
although this was the language of exeggerfr
furnishes a tolerable index of the state 1/40
opinion on the respective merits of woe"
iron-plated ships of war. The French Ger
even before the incomparable advantages o"t,'
clad frigates were thus conclusively demen'ol
had set about the construction of seversis
description of vessel, and we were, sili
matter of precaution, compelled to foll°l,
example. At the close of the Parliswo,
Session of 1861 a supplemental vote of a tli
of a million was granted for this purpaskeiii,
House of Commons without even the setuu ri,
opposition. The Warrior was the first of lico,
and it is not to be wondered at that elle ii:
proved absolutely perfect. Since she 105,1.0,
we have improved upon our first model ; 00'4,
a perfectly new ship, it is considered that avd
now be submitted to alterations which eartli.
experience teaches us are essential. This igyi
explanation which can be given for the orde'hil
has been issued by the Admiralty, and logi
now on the point of being acted upon. Air°,,i
to the art of building armour-plated vetluril
proficiency in it, as in all others,must be deso)
chased. But costly experiments should e?,l
watched, and no department of the State losi
in costlier ones than the Admiralty. lha,/1„4
nually voted for the navy estimates are I'd
yet, nevertheless, we always seem to be ago
the reconstruction of our fleets. Vessels areoi
an enormous expense, sent to sea for a Atilt
then docked, then dismantled, and then iiiitO
again. If any particular case is isolaterimi
others, it may be easy to demonstrate that la
taken by the Admiralty is unexceptionsbd
one is nevertheless induced to question
Teo
many costly failures cannot be avoided. 4,
lag behind in the terrible race of competit!'o4
is forced upon us by other States, but it 0101
of consideration whether we cannot afford till
occasionally before committing ourselves ifli
cular schemes whose value has not been 01 01
tested. We cannot suppose that even e+
armour-plated vessel we have placed upon '7,
will never be surpassed, but before buildingootl
like her we ought to be tolerably Well °ce
that she and they will answer all the Pa,,Poi
which they are intended. We must pal
order to maintain that naval supeemsel "di
sary to our national independence, but 1;011
right to demand from those whom wet 0
stewards that the money which we gran
ngly shall not be thrown away.