Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1861-12-21

10 depth. The iron RIBS are 9-16th OF
an inch ct the bottom, gradually feduc.
ing in thickness to 5.sths OF an inch at
upper parts. The beams for the decks
are also of great strength, being fifteen
Inches in depth tor the lower, and ~
inches Tor the upper deck, the thickness
OF the metal being 5-sths OF an inch.
On the upper and main decks the
beams are rolled iron, on the butterfly |
patent; for the lower deck the beams
arc formed upon the ordinary plan OF
rlye,ing the pilates. The stern piece IS
described as being one OF the finest
specimens OF hammered and forge work
ever produced. 1t rises in bold curve
from the keel to the man deck. It's di-
mansions are Q feet 10 inches IN depth,
and the metal is inches thick. The
difficulties Of forming this immense mass
of iron were very great. In the nrst
place the iron was forged and hammer
ed into an enormous plate OF rather more
than 0 inches thick, about feet wide
and some 40 feet long. Having been
brought into this stage, 1t was then
placed under series of powerful plan.
ing machines, which slowly and gradu-
civ rounded its outer edge or surtace,cut
deep grooves in it in which the common
plates are to be placed, and fiji ally the
solid mass was bent into the exact curve
required for its position at the stern
Both the Valiant and the Hector are
built in water tight compartments, with
: view to the safety as we'll as to the
greater strength Of the ship. There are
. not less than seventy eight water-tlght
compartments. At the stem and the
stern, for about twelve feet at each end,
behind the armor plates, the interior is
: perfectly honey-combed with iron cellu-
: lar plates. The majority Of these iron
D cells are not mon than three feet deep,
q and less than two feet wide. Access to
them is obtained through man-holes IN
the different compartments. In some
s parts the cells are smaller, and man, in
J. passing down to the lower series, has
b bis body in three of these iron compart-
!. ments at the same time. Such Is the
admir- able manner in which these dark
chambers are constructed that they are
c not only water tight but Right. The
c object of these cells is to secure firmly
@ the stem and the stern to the main body
$ Of the ship.
. For five or six feet below the main
deck, fore and aft, there is no armol
, atng, and plated cells would act as
e traps, in which TO catch the shot OF the
s. enemy. An ordinary cannon ball might
a pass through the side Of one Of these
compartments, but its speed and power
would be so far checked as to prevent
~ its wandering far amid this maze OF iror
l. work The armor-plates, passing az
II they do entirely round the ship, give te
the Valiant the means Of fighting more
of the guns on the main deck than II
a the case with the Resistance, where thu
plates cover only portion of the sides
h She will carry thirty guns on the mail
es decks and two pivots and four GS poun
- dcrs on the upper deck. On the for
y part of the upper deck there will be
or Shield OF iron, scmi-circular III its form
and rising to the height of the ham
v, mock berthing for the protection of tn
"A men at the guns, while bearing dow
on the enemy. Her engines will be {
y 500 horse power, and she will dra,
about % feet water.
x. BY the end Of next year, or the be
us ginning of 1868, Englanp will have
e. without any additional exertion, nine
- ".".o. p'a.eu SHIPS RI fnr.,, -1uad
u ron for the defence of the Channel, O
I'd tor offensive warfare elsewhere. 1t i
o evident that the character OF naval wal
tx fare has entirely changed. The tim
n when ships lay yard-arm to yard-arm
to firing into each other for a whole day
is has gone by forever. An engagement
I'd between two hostile fleets in the presen
d. day would probably not last an hour
ne for 10y that time two-thrds of all tn
lie ships engaged would be sunk or blow
It. up. Wooden ships would disappea
W like soap-bubbles under the concentrat
ps ed fire ofthe Warriors broadside. TIL
1T question now is what will be the resul
j. when two armor-plated vessels shall en-
le counter each other! Hitherto neithe
ENGLAND nor France has succeeded il
d. making iron shot-proof vessels ; 1--WE ar
N speaking now of the Warriors prede
r, cessors.) In the Crimean war the Eng
er fish floating batteries went to piece
IS under fire Of solid sixty weight Founders
O. The French boats employed in the at
$, tack on Kinburn, though hit by onl
n thirty-two pound shot, gave unmistak
lie able signs Of a solution of continuity ,ant
VS. that more knocks or heavier meta
10 would soon send them to the bottom
er But then these were small vessels, AM
Sc their defences were trifling compared
$, with the new armor-plates and so the,
er do not serve as criterion for us to judg,
is of what would happen were the Warrio
a. to encounter La Glolre or the guns o
as a well-arpointed fort. Nevertheless i
y. is clear that wooden ships, or wooder
e, ships plated with iron, will not be abb
he to resist successfully these enormous iror
a fabrics. the Warrior, originally de
le signed for steam ram, but now con
10 .erted into fighting ship, can still b,
ID used as ram against small craft;
9 mass ct iron. sharp pointed, weighing
r. 5000 tons, and moving at the rate o
of sixteen miles an hour, would cut shiE
is like the Niagara in two with the great
t. est ease, though perhaps not wi,hou
', | aopn cliuht dor,ooo 70 ;<snlf nu~ Cov