The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-28 00:00:00

IRON-CASED 81111'S.

Admiral Sartorius says :—" I believe was the
first who, during the Russian war, suggested to the
Admiralty, then headed by Sir C. Wood, and to the
Count de Persigny, the French Minister, the feasi-
bility of uniting the. qualities of invulnerability,
e;alutrative ineombustility and weight, of the
top steam batteries, just then invented by the Em
peror Napoleon, with those of the agile and rapid'
steamer i
3 at en*thened for the Purpose, and so form
an engine of War invincible • . purpose, and •
used agiiinst t!, invincible and irresistible when
which could belt:or-built vessels of every size,
and shells from totroyed by incendiary projectiles
sion, by the force the new craft or sunk by concus-
this with perfect impunity to
from its beak, and all
to that craft. I warned
them of the probability 107
ni t
so simple an idea sug-
gesting itself to the Russian
dGovernment, and the
united fatal constquences to the fleets if we should
not Lo prepared for the contingency.
occurring immediately after, I continued, privately
The peace
a:4 officially to urge before ElleCtr'ueakdmiralty
v ce,sfsetih e question
prin-
ciple Boards. the vital importance of the '
these vessels; upon the practicability
involved in the use of sink
which depended a radical change in the whOleusP3°ll
tent ,of naval warfare, the construction of all the
fl of the world ; many millions of the most
31,e less expenditure and, what was of the deepest
interest to ourselves, the rendering our shores ins-
le'iousti_bie to a successful invasion if the principle
pressed ea,..„11y
id be easily and practically carried out. I
or the rbircanctommmenisslionn to be composed
.
their respective
classes, lusol i.n telfloi
tivn,Fi.rieers civil and military, shipbuilders i
in wood
able eiviii:s,ll7T, experienced naval officers and
re-
sults of all experiments whom should be laid the re-
the subject, lme!lts already made bearing upon
and with the privilege of ordering
any further trials, a
they might think pro(ln)doevr examining any persons
ei then to report upon
the results to the ment, and I begged
that commission. ara I for-
t° be heard before
warded also plans
drawn up
most able
zetrbs sugges-
under the sanction and approNvvVgs
and intelligent shipbuilders ancenic,ja
live of my views. lam sorry 1 have
yet to obtain any favour or attention from been able
miralty Board. Nevertheless, four vesselislyh"-
been commenced within the two last years mainl.3e
upon my suggestions, without any communication.
with or acknowledgment to me of the intentions of
the Admiralty. I must leave to the "observations"
which accompany this letter to illustrate my
opinion as to the manner and efficiency with
which those suggestions have been attempted to be
arried out.
thriri:e question of vital importance to decide is
inecnniructia vessel be constructed comparatively
neither shOtie and invulnerable, against which
be constructed
shell can avail? Can such vessels
quickness of
inoto possess greater swiftness and
line-of-battle ships, than all the timber-built
ships of the dad 17e frigates, and iron-cased
such ship or vessel be
built, not only to carry Yanadrtillery of the heaviest
calibre to fire solid shot
all the most destruc-
tive incendiary projectiles, such
as shells. loaded