The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-12 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

Major-General Lord W. Pau C. 8., command-
ing the S.W. district, and Lieut.-Governor of
Portsmouth, yesterday paid an official visit to
Admiral Wipff, commanding the Dutch squadron
at Spithead, on board his flagship, the screw-
frigate Evertsen, 51 guns. His lordship was re-
ceived with the usual honorary salutes. Admiral
Wipff, with Captains Vreeland and Fabius, were
entertained at dinner by the Chevalier Wanden-
bergh, Netherlands Consul, at his residence, Hol-
land-house' Southsea. In the evening the Consul
gave a ball to the officers of the squadron.
Instructions have been issued by Lord Herbert,
Secretary of State for War, to the principal military
storekeeper at Woolwich, directing a number of
barges to be sent to the batteries at Coalhouse Point
and Shornmeade for the removal of the powder and
ammunition at these stations to Chatham and the
floating magazines at Woolwich during the recon-
struction of those forts by Messrs. Brassey and Betts,
the contractors. The removal of the powder will
not be commenced until the floating batteries lEtna
and Thunderbolt have taken up their positions in
the Thames, which is expected to be the case in
a few days.
The half-yearly inspection of the Royal Artillery,
stationed at Gosport, took place yesterday on Has-
lar-common. Lord W. Pauiet, C. 8., was the in-
specting officer.
Mr. Naylor, builder, &c., of Rochester, is the
successful competitor for the construction of new
buildings at Sheerness barracks, his tender being
£9,300. The buildings are to consist of quarters for
70 married soldiers, together with washing, drying,
and ironin grooms, besides ablution rooms and baths,
and everything necessary for the health and corn-
fort of the soldiers' families stationed at Sheerness
garrison,

LAUNCII 01 THE IRON-CASED F.RI-

GATE RESISTANCE.

A further addition to our iron-cased frigates was
made yesterday by the launch of the Resistance
from Messrs. Westwood and Bailie's yard, near
Millwall. On Saturday next the sister vessel to
that sent afloat yesterday will be turned off the
stocks from Messrs. Palmer's works near Newcastle.
Within this week, therefore, England will possess
four armour-plated frigates actually afloat, and four
more in embryo, which have been ordered, and the
frameworks of which have been commenced.
This is as yet but a small set off to the
one actually in commission, three afloat and set-
ting ready for sea, and 10 building, of the French
navy. The lead, however, which France has taken
in this matter is more one of numbers than actual
strength. The Warrior and Black Prince are nearly
double the size of the French iron frigates, which,
except in the matter of strength of framework more
resemble the Defence and Resistance than the co-
lossal iron monsters which have been turned out
from our great shipping yards. There is not the
least doubt that if any sudden emergency arose the
manufacturing resources of this country are quite
equal to producing 20 vessels like the Warrior in a
single year. But, as it is even now an open ques-
tion how far these ponderous hulls will be service-
able in a seaway, the Admiralty are not unwisely
halting to see the results of experiments with the
Warrior before they are committed to the building
of a greater number than those now ordered.
Every day seems so show that the science of build-
ing an invulnerable ship is quitein its infancy. The
Resistance and Defence are built as steam rams.
In the two new ones which have been ordered to be
built, of about the same size, the idea of the " ram"
is entirely abandoned, and the Admiralty, rather
late in the day, take a hint from the Gloire, and by
giving the proposed vessels a greater breadth and
greater midship section, they are enabled to plate
them in armour from end to end.

It was generally believed that the Resistance and
Defence would for a long time have the honour of
being the ugliest ships in her Majesty's service.
Their supremacy in this unfavourable respect, how-
ever, will not only be disputed but quite overthrown
by the two completely cased armour ships which,
as we have said, have just been ordered.
The chief dimensions of the Resistance are—

length extreme, 292 ft. ; breadth, 54ft. ; depth from
spar deck, 381 ft. ; and tonnage, by builders' mea-
surement,3,6BB. As we have stated she was designed
and built with a view to being used as a " ram," and
therefore, instead of having a concealed, obtuse beak
like the Warrior and Black Prince, the whole out-
line of her bows resembles the curved line formed by
a swan's neck and breast. Thus the projection of the
breast is placed below the water line, and would
strike the enemy below the water line also. It
is this projecting beak and exceedingly retreating
bows which give the whole vessel so clumsy and
unwieldly an appearance in the water. As a speci-
men of ironwork manufacture she is perfect, and
neither the Black Prince nor the Warrior surpasses
her in the care and strength with which the whole
frame is put together. Like those vessels, she has
no external keel, but an inner kind of girder, which
acts as a kelson, and which, from stem to stern, is
formed of immense strength. To this are bolted the
massive ribs, which are made in joints, with an angle
or ledge on the outer side, on which the armour
plates, with their teak lining, 22 inches thick, are to
rest. The armour only extends a length of 144 feet
of her broadside, and thus only 14 guns out of the
32 she is to carry are under cover. In proportion to
size and tonnage her armament is greater than the
Warrior's, though, in proportion also, a smaller
number are sheltered by the armour. The orlop
deck is of wood, but the main and upper decks are
of iron, and all the decks are carried on wrought
iron beams of the most powerful description, to
which both decks and ribs are riveted together with
as much firmness as if the whole were one piece of
wrought iron. The armour plates are of the same
size and excellence as those which cover the frigates
already launched; they are about 16 feet long by
4 bread, and 41 inches thick. Behind these come
the beams of teak, while the bolts which secure the
plates themselves are countersunk outside, so as to