The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-06 00:00:00

14aunch of Ironclad Vessels for the Queen
of Spain and Ring of Italy.

On Saturday on the extensive premises of the
Thames Iron Works Company was witnessed one
of those scenes of interest and excitement which
have now become periodical in that great establish-
ment. The locality in which the works are situated
is by no means picturesque, nor the approaches easy.
The one exhibits grimy factories springing as it were
out of the mud of the Isle of Dogs, and making the
atmosphere above as grimy as themselves with the
incessant columns of smoke which belch forth and
rise and curl from their tall chimneys. A thousand
hammers are ever busy making the sonorous music
of the British blacksmith, and every one works with
an energy which seems to indicate his intense convic-
tion that riveting up is the great mission of indus-
trial humanity. To get to this busy hive one must
wade through slummy byeroads, to scale up the sides
of barges, to cross lock-gates, and to pick one's steps
amongstprotrudingwinch handles,under mighty hulls
of unfinished ships which seem ready to topple down
on the wayfarer, or over mighty heaps of volcanic-
looking debris, and angular and dangerously rough
scrap iron. And yet, every month or so, visitors of
dainty air and high distinction may be seen landing
at Blackwall, and pushing for the Orchard Works.
The company have already supplied their own Go-
vernment, and Denmark and Russia, and on Satur-
day last put a new kingdom on their list by launch-
ing a magnificent iron-clad frigate for the Queen of
Spain. The Victoria, so called as a compliment to
our own sovereign, is a beautiful model, in which the
object of the constructors was to combine, as far as
possible, the speed and graceful outline of the War-
rior with the solidity and resisting powers of the
Minotaur. Her length between the perpendiculars
is 316 ft., her keel (for tonnage) 282, breadth 57, and
depth of hold 38ft. Her burthen in tons is 4,862 and
a fraction ; her armament, 30 guns of large calibre ;
and her engines, which were made by Penn and Co.,
of 1,000 horse nominal power. Beside such dimen-
sions our Spanish friends can only remember their
once world's wonders, their San Josefs and their
Santissima Trinidadas, as mere pigmies, and confess
as a matter of fact, that the Victoria, when properly
armed, would sink a whole fleet of such ships in a
few hours. She has been about two years in con-
struction, and when she descended majestically into
" her native element" on Saturday last, her splendid
lines and general symmetry of appearance were the
objects of general admiration.
The launch was witnessed by a most distinguished
company. There were the Duke and Duchess de
Montpensier, the two Infantas of Spain, Amalia and
Christina, the Prince de Joinville, the Count de Paris,
Marquis de Molins (Spanish Ambassador at the Court
of St. James's), Admiral Montes, the Count de Torres
Dios, Gan. Sir A. Waugh, Admiral Hall, the Che-
valier Murietta, Mr. Rolt (chairman of the com-
pany), Capt. Ford (formerly of the Ottoman navy
and now general manager of the works), and a
number of Turkish notabilities, whose interest
in what they saw was very much enhanced by th e
fact that a monster ironclad, defended with 10-inch
plates, is about immediately to be laid down on the
slip just vacated by the Victoria for their govern-
ment. There was also an immense English crowd
—always so quick to gather round a horse race or a
ship launch—and underneath the great ship herself
were nestled a whole army of workmen, hammers
in hand, ready to knock away the dogshores the
moment the traditional baptismal rite had been per-
formed aloft. Precisely at one o'clock her Royal
Highness the Duchess de Montpensier took her sta-
tion, bottle in hand, in the little gallery at the
bow, the ship's name " Victoria" was pronounced,
the strokes of a thousand hammers were heard all
together, and in less than two minutes the great
ship was floating proudly in the wet dock, sur-
rounded by a whole fleet of tug-boats and row-
boats, which looked as if they had come there to set
off her huge size to the best advantage by contrast.
We have witnessed a great many launches, both in
royal and in private yards, but we never saw one
carried out with greater rapidity, certainty, and
safety. The vessel glided down gradually, never
mending her pace, she stopped as if held back by a
bridle the moment she entered the water, and we
had to rub our eyes to ascertain that it was not all
a dream as we looked at the vast vacant space which
the moment before had been filled with an immense
iron castle. There was a good deal of cheering, and
the band played " Rule Britannia" and the Spanish
national hymn, and then the whole party adjourned
to the moulding aloft, which had been tastefully de-
corated with the Spanish colours, and where Messrs.
Ring and Brymer had arranged an elegant and
abundant dejeuner. The royal princes and princesses
entered into the festivity with great cordiality and
affability, and the Spanish ambassador, the Mar-
quis de Molins, spoke with much eloquence in the
sonorous and manly Spanish language on the great
fact of the day. His excellency gracefully com-
plimented England upon having led the world in the
utilisation of iron for the works of peace. Formerly
when one spoke of iron one thought only of swords
and guns and cannon balls, but England had turned
it to other and better purposes, to the construction
of railroads, of steam machinery, and of the fleets
of commerce. It was only as a measure of defence
that she built her great iron warships, and in this
Spain followed her example. The main object of
the rulers of that great country now was to develop
her internal resources, to dig up her mines and mine-
rals, and to cover her surface with a network of
railways, such as already had conferred such wealth
and so many blessings on England. With the
friendly co-operation of England he hoped to see
this carried out, and with these views he gave
as a toast, " The intimate and friendly alliance of
the two countries." The ambassador was much
cheered by the considerable section of the company
who understood his language, and the remainder
applauded, we trust, with equal fervour. We must
say, however, that their selection of telling points
was much assisted by Mr. Goodchild, the excellent
toastmaster, who seemed thoroughly to enjoy and
enter into the current of Spanish eloquence. There
were several good speeches from Mr. Rolt, the
chairman of the company, and others, and the pro-
ceedings terminated at an early hour, to the entire
satisfaction of all who had been favoured with in-
vitations.

On Saturday, also, a large company, comprising
most of the principal Italian gentlemen in London,
was invited by the directors of the Millwall Iron-
works and Shipbuilding Company to witness the
launch of the iron-clad cupola frigate Affondatore.
The launch passed off successfully amidst the cheers
of hundreds of spectators, the huge fabric gliding
gracefully into the water almost immediately after
the dog-shores were knocked away. The ceremony
of naming the vessel was performed by the Marchesa
di San Germano, in the presence of Sir J. Hay,
K.C.8., Baron Marochetti, Count Maffei, Marquis
of Balbi, Marquis of San Germano, and a large and
distinguished company.
The Affondatore is 298 feet in length, 40 feet in
breadth, and 18 feet 4 inches in depth. Builder's
tonnage 2,306 tons, 700 horse power nominal. As
her name (The Sinker) implies, she is built with a
Powerful swan neckshaped stem, which will, should
she ever come into action, be found to be a formid-
able enemy in close quarters. She is fitted with
two turrets, one at each end of the vessel, which are
provided with one 10-ton gun each, and are upon
Capt. Coles' principle, that portion of them stand-
ing above the upperdeck being protected byarmour
plating
plating 5i inches thick. Between decks these
tur-
rets are encased by circular armour plated bulk-
liezzds of 5-inch iron, within which the turning gear
is worked. The armour plating extends from the
main deck down to 7 feet below the load water line.
This plating is 5 inches thick, except the lower
s trill: e, which is 4 inches thick. The main deck is
protected by plate iron 2 inches in thickness. On
this deck there is a rifle tower for conning-house,
which stands 9 feet above the upper deck, and is
covered with armour 5 inches thick right down
to
the main deck. This affords protection to the cap-
tain during action, and also to the steering wheel.
The whole of the skylights and ladder-ways on the
main deck are provided with strong iron gratings,
which slide between the beams when not required,
and which can be worked from below, thereby pre-
lenting the necessity of men having to go on to the
deck to place them. The masts, which are of iron, are