The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-26 00:00:00

WOOD VERSUS IRON.

Of the 16 iron-cased frigates which France pos.
sesses afloat and in construction, only two, the
Couronne (afloat) and the Heroine (on the stocks),
are built of iron, and it is now regretted by the
Government that they were not constructedof wood,
for experience has already proved, and without any
contradiction, tilat these vessels on account of their
rapidly fouling bottom will not be capable of keep-
ing up in speed with the wooden built and cop-
pered frigates. The Warrior, of the English fleet,
has lost from this cause two knots of her original
speed, and it is generally conceded that these iron-
built men-of-war ships will have to be taken into
dock at least every three months to clean their bot-
toms. The pirate ship Alabama—which by her
superior speed defies the whole United States navy,
and which actually keeps up a partial blockade of
our Northern ports—is a striking example how the
advantages of timber built ships for speed are even
recognised in an iron country like England. Well
knowing that her safety would lie in her superior
speed on a long cruise, Mr. Laird, of Birkenhead,
the iron- ship builder, has built this ship expressly
of timber, with coppered bottom. I regret to have
to state my firm conviction that we do not possess in
our navy a single ship which is capable to cope with
her in speed. This is the consequence of Govern-
ment never having trusted to private constructors,
for the production of superior models for
our navy. Vessels of high speed aro what we
want, but which we never shall possess unless a
different course is adopted by our navy department.
The French at the present time have the follow-
ing iron-cased frigates afloat :—The Gloire, Invin-
cible, and Normandie, built of timber, and all from
the same lines by Mr. Dupuy de Lome ; the Cou-
ronne, built of iron after plans of Mr. Audenet, and
the two ram ships Magenta and Solferino, built of
timber after plans of Mr. Dupuy de Lome. The
thickness of the iron casing in all these ships, as
in those on the stocks, is the same-4i inches near
the load line and 41 above that. The first three
named ships have been already thoroughly tried at
sea, and they are a perfect success. They have at-
tained the superior speed of 131 knots, under steam
alone, with men and armament on board. They roll
easy and do not pitch more than is usual. I have
been on board of the frigate Invincible, thoroughly
examined her and found that she has not strained
in the least (as was reported)—that she is perfectly
tight, and her ventilation is the best I ever met with
in any ship, the air being pure throughout. The
captain assured me that the ship steers like a pilot-
boat, and that she never strained or leaked, and is
an excellent sea vessel. All the appliances on board
of these frigates, to make them real, efficient fight-
ing ships, are admirable and ingenious.
The ten frigates on the stocks are similar to the
Gloire in their general outlines, but they are of a
far superior model, will have easier motions, be faster
still and carry their battery 14 inches higher. I
think their shape could yet be improved upon ; but,
such as they are, I consider them to be the most effi-
cient men-of-war ships yet laid down by any nation.
Their principal dimensions are :—Length, about 265
feet ; breadth, 56 feet ; mean draft 252' feet, and will
render them always easily managed ships, obeying
the rudder quickly ; and they possess' in this respect,
immense advantages over their overlarge and over
long English adversaries, which, on account of their
exaggerated dimensions, are almost unmanageable.
I regret very much to see, from the late accounts
received from the United States, that our Govern-
ment intends to construct a ntimber of iron-cased
ships (cruisers) of 7,300 tons each. How such a plan
could be adopted with the English experience of such
large iron ships before our eyes, is more than I can
understand. The comparatively small draught of
water which these ships only can have, on account
of the depth of our harbours, prevents a possi-
bility of giving any great speed to such immense
structures, and their necessarily immense length
will render them ices manageable yet than their
English sister ships. Thus they will be at the
mercy of a much smaller opponent, whose superior
steering powers allows a choice in position.
The construction of such vessels would be as

great an exaggeration as was the construction of a
whole fleet of Monitors, which, I know, will be ac-
knowledged are only fit for harbour defence, and
which leave our navy of sea-going ehips just as it
was before we com►rienced the construction of iron-
cased ships.

SEA-GOING QUALITIES GF IRON-PLATED VESSELS.
The fact of the safe arrival of the iron-cased fri-
gate Normandie at Vera Cruz has dispelled all
doubts that were expressed with regard to the pos-
sibility of iron-cased ships crossing the Atlantic.
She is wooden built and coppered, performed ad-
mirably, and proved to be an excellent sea vessel ;
she rolled comparatively easy, and will, after lying
four months at Vera Cruz, have preserved her origi-
nal speed of 131 knots, while an iron-cased ship

(like the Couronne) would in the same time, from
foul bottom, attain a speed of no more than 8 knots
an hour. This was the reason that the Normandie
was substituted for this expedition instead of th
Couronne, which ship had already had orders to
proceed to Vera Cruz. Toe Gloire and her sister
Ehips, and also the Couronne, have engines of 900-
horse power, and are armed with 36 rifled 30-poun-
der guns throwing shot of 701 b. weight, but breech-
loading rifled 30-pounders are being substituted.