The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-27 00:00:00

Institution of Naval Architects.

The naval architects opened their session yester-
day at the room of the Society of Atts, in the
Adelphi ; Sir John Pakington, Bart., M.P., the
president, taking the chair. The four papers were
read in succession upon the great subject of iron-
clad ships : by Mr. W. Fairbairn, " On the Con-
struction of Iron-plated Ships ;" by Mr. Samuda,
"On Iron-plated Ships ;" by Mr. Scott Russell,
"On the Present state of the Question at issue be-
tween Modern Guns and Iron-coated Ships ;" and
by Mr. E. J. Reed, of the Admiralty, "On Iron-
cased Ships."
Mr. Fairbairn's paper had reference chiefly to
the importance of the working of the iron, and the
methods of obtaining the greatest mechanical
strength. As a rough statement, it might be said
that thickness of plate would represent strength,
but much depended upon the process of hammering
and rolling, by which the fibre and texture of the
metal were improved. He recurred to the views he
had expressed in former papers, which were founded
upon many experiments, and said that the cellular
structure employed in tubular bridges and girders
was the best form for obtaining greatest strength.
He advocated the use of this principle in the con-
struction of iron ships, and would have the cellular
compartments run the whole length of the bottom
and sides of a ship, her armour plates to come above
this, and the decks to be made very strong means
of support by making the beams of iron. A ship
ought to be so stiff that she would bear suspending
on two points, one at each end, or even upon one
amidships. As to steel, it was difficult to say what
might not be done with it, as its strength was much
greater than that of iron ; still, as yet it had not
been sufficiently tested. He was not inclined to
building very large ships. He showed a diagram
of a vessel in which he would arrange the heavier
burden of engines and guns in the middle, and these
two be protected with more extensive armour-plates,
while a belt might be carried round the ship at the
water line, covering the steering apparatus and
screw, but leaving parts unprotected. As to large
guns, he was much of opinion that the limit of their
strength had been attained in the 300 pounder.
Mr. SAMUDA, as one of our professed iron ship-
builders, condemned the errors in the first four ships
built by the Government of having their ends left
unprotected. Still he considered that our millions
were well spent even in this costly experiment, as
we had now found out the error, and were building
the iron ships with plates all over the fighting parts
of the ship. Building wooden framed ships of the
Royal Oak class was he thought better than doing
nothing, though there could be no question that
they would never stand the decaying influences
which arcse between wood and iron, and they were
essentially too weak for the heavy strain upon their
sides. A better step, however, would have been to
employ private yards in building iron ships. The
cupola ships he unhesitatingly approved on prin-
ciple. They allow concentration of weight and
armament, and require less armour in the propor-
tion of 11 to 20 feet in depth. They keep down
tonnage and increase velocity, and would, he ex-
pected, be developed into highly important vessels.
The Prince Albert, which he is building, he thought
L should have engines of 800 horse-power instead of
L 500; this would make her a 13-knot ship, and im-
prove her draught. The Gov-rnment should, he
L said, employ the private yards, and £500,000 should
be spent this year, and the same sum the next, in
building cupola ships. This he would advise with-
: out waiting to try the Prince Albert, so satisfied
was he that Captain Coles' plan was applicable to
' seagoing ships, though he admitted that huw they
will act is yet doubtful.
Mr. SCOTT RUSSELL reminded the Society that
they were considered heretics two years ago for ad-
vocating iron ships, The question had progressed