The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-10-28
Steamships of War.

hlleI lour ana a nail millions OF dollars nad
been expended by the British government in
the construction of iron steamships for the naval
service, their inapplcability appeared, in the
opinion OF many persons, to be demonstrated;
and, indeed, we believe that the experiments
instituted by the Board of Admiralty them
selves gave reason for but faint hopes of sue
cess. No sooner, however, had this conviction
been impressed upon them, than they sought
for means of retrieving the expenditure they
had incurred, and we are not sure that they
have not already succeeded in the pursuit. A
substance called Kamptulicon which is de-
| scribed as ga mixture Of saw-dust and India
rubber, as chief ingredients" has been found of
great utility in preventing the bad effects pro
ceedng from the use of iron. 1t is proposed to
| line the whole interior surface Of the sides of
vessels with this composition, to the thickness
| of twelve inches.
Our readers have been heretofore appraised of
| the experiments made by firing cannon-b balls at
| 4 target constructed like the side Of an iron
steam-fr gate, and that the results of these ex-
perments were altogether adverse to the use of
| iron as material for ship-building. They
| have been repeated upon a similar target, lined
| with the Kamptulcon, and attended with high
| y encouraging results.
| In the REPORT on the Navy, Army, and
| Ordnance Estimates" page $50, Quoted by
the Nautical Standard,) the examination of an
intelligent witness, who superintended the late
experiments, is given, in which he states that
| ''when the target was placed with the iron
: next the gun, the effect was good, in so far as
stopping all the splinters and also in closing
: the hole after the shot had passed through, SO
that no serious leak, if any, would then take
| place; but on the opposite side of the ship,
when the Kamptulicon was struck first, it
was Instantaneous, in so far as forcing out
large body of IRON"
| The protector of the Kamptulicon (Lieut.
GEORGE WALTER, r. M. } claims that, from
its elasticity, it will g Immediately collapse
after the passage of shot, so as to prevent
the entrance of water, thus obvatng the ne
cessity for Plugs" and that it will deaden
the conclusion caused by the striking of shot,
or in firing a vessels own guns, thus pro-
tecting the rivet-heads; that from its bouy-
| ancy it will keep the vessel afloat, if riddled
with shot, or after striking upon rocks, and
| will enable her to carry a large supply of
| Goals with smaller draught of water; and
that it will prevent the loss of life caused by
| splnters, by their retention in the Kamptuli-
| con-" Lieut.. WALTER further says:
"To the truth Of most of these assertions | can
bear ample testimony, having witnessed the expe-
riment at Woolwich, on the4th of September last,
| the object Of which was principally TO test the
practcabilty Of its adhesion to the iron tcihout the
@e IoII L.- IF 80 y LT four previous expert
ments having, il stated, given great satisfac-
| ton in other respects target of irou six feet
| square, to which the Ramptuiicon lining was at
tached by means of solution prepared for the pur-
pose, erected at distance Of forty yards from
80. FOUNDER Four shots were fired with the iron
surface presented, with very curious effect, two of
which deserve especial notice, viz the third which
| fred with a reduced charge, to represent long
| -ange, lodged in the material; and the fourth,
which, with still further reduced charge fell with
out doing injury at the base Of the target 1t was
then turned round with the Kanptulicon lining to-
wards the gun, at which four shots were also fired
rhc first two passed through with nearly the same
feet, opening the iron to considerable extent but
the lining closed up Immediately, 30 as scarcely
to admit the insertion Of small at either
end the centre being quito close The fourth shot,
fred with n very reduced charge, rebounded about
fifteen yards in direct line; thus proving that
shot at a long range would not even enter vessel 30
incd 1t may also be presumed, from the wonder
ful resistance of the material, and its repellent
power, that nothing under full charge ,could fire
shot through The tioo sides. As to its adhesive
ture, it need only be said that it occupied dozen
strong men, armed with handspkes and crowbars
a considerable time to detach il from the iron after
- L. II
different targets may be seen large pieces Of iron
imbcddcd which might cause frightf1l rounds and
even death, if scattered amongst the crew"
We observe that the Standard is particular
" severe upon the Board Of Admiralty for the
.'blunder' made in the construction of its iron
steamships; yet, upon review Of the tes-
timony offered in favor Of the new agent we
have described, that journal admits that ''these
experiments, if carefully performed and accu-
ratey recorded, seem to suggest a high
amount Of probability that kamptulicon will
finally prove the panacea for Admiralty inn
prudence" and that 'the qualities which are
wanting in iron, seem pre-eminently to be-
long to this newly discovered substance"
We shall look with interest for further devel-
opnents Of the utility Of this new material. Its
cost has not been stated but we presume that
will not prevent its adoption, should it ulti-
matcIy prove as valuable as herein represented.
4 great stride will have been taken in the
progress Of civilization, when the naval engines
II war throughout the world may subserve the
purposes Of peace. This will be effected
through the agency Of steam vessels, differed
by accomplished and gallant men, whose pros
perity and fame will not be solely depend
ent upon their achievements in battle but
whose influence in promoting the cause Of
peace and goodwill shall be as wide as the
oceans they traverse. England has led the
way in this noble enterprise; and We would
prove that we honor her for it by emulating
her noble example, in sending our national yes
sells 70 every port in tho universe, to pro-
mote the commerce Of our people, and to diiuse
the lights of science and christianity. Hith- !