The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-12-27


BY this abstract it will be that we have "a
screw steam liners in commission, and in case of
war have l6 more to add to them, so that 40 screw
ships would soon be ready to compose the different
English fleets.
Two of the three-deckers the Howe and Victoria,
now building, are designed to carry l2l guns none
of less calibre than sixtyeight FOUNDER, will be
about 600 tons about 300 feet long and So feet in
breadth. Their engines will be about 1000 nomi-
nal horse power They will be launched most pro-
Dably in 1859.
The Duke of Wellington, Marlborough, and
Royal Sovereign, and Prince of Wales, building,
carry l3l guns, and complement of about 100
men; their tonnage is from 400 to 200, and their
engines from 700 to 500 horse power.
The article gives an account of each of the
steamers, Of which number were originally sail
ing vessels but have been altered into propeers
The Conqueror, Renown, Orion and Victor
Emanuel are the finest of two-deckers.
They are all fast sailing ships, and steam x knots
an hour. The ships included in the first four class
es, carrying from so to 100 guns each, are very
good ships of which to compose fleets, but, owing
to their large size and great draught of water they
cannot be employed in harassing the enemy's coast
and destroying forts.
During the late Russian war the Agamemnon
and Sans Petriel were the only large screw ships
that were brought into action at the bombardment
of Sebastopol. The small screw block ships were
found the most serviceabIe in the Baltic; their
small draught of water enabled their being taken
up to Bomarsund, and also to engage the forts at
Sweaborg, while our fine screw two deckers, and
even our fine so gun screw frgates, were found too
argefor these services. Experience should therefore,
have taught that, while gradually increasing the
number of our large two deckers, of which, to form
fleets to meet the enemy at sea or blockade his feet
in harbor, ought at the same time to have built
smaller two deckers, improving on the construction
of the old block ships, so as to make them sail and
steam fast, and also to be of light draught of wa
ter. These small ships would, in future war,
be found of infinite service in backing up our gun
boats while attacking forts, &c. At present the
new screw frigates building nearly double the
size of the old block Ships and will consequently draw
great deal more water. The real fact seems to be
that Sir B. Walker, while increasing the size of our
ships, augmenting their weight of metal and fitting
them with engines of enormous horse power, has
forgotten that these improvements will only be
found useful if the enemy is met at sea- and that if
he chooses to stop in port as will most likely be
the in future wars, unless the combatants
are very evenly matched, all these improvements
will only add to the difficulty of getting at him.
The following abstract will be found pretty accu-
rate in showing the draught of water in screw
ships:
Screw three deckers, as Duke OF Yelling
ton, draw from ......,........34 to SO feet
Screw two deckers, as Renown, &C., draw
from.... ..32 " %
Screw two deckers Brunswick, draw
, rom m..;..;.'.. ..;...........,..' ~ ~
Screw block ships, Blenheim, draw
Screw frgates Orlando, draw from. 80 g 80 q
Arrogant, ..19 p
90 Dauntless, III 20 ="
&C corvettes, as Highfyer, &c III 20 q
The conversion of the 80 gun sailing ships,
Colussus, into screw ships, has succeeded so well
that it is hoped Sir b. Walker will complete the
task by converting the Collingwood, Superb
and Vanguard. Their conversion will be much
more economical than building new ships