The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-08-08

The shestbing .; ships # war With iron is
- suhiect which has engaged Il late the pro
found attention Of European Govcrnments.-
II /, ugh the discuSsiob e.! the merits Of such
vessels has rot ceased in naval circles, they
can 10 longer he cons deycd All experiment.
Lo;is NArcf 2oS, whose fertile genius awaited
i;selt of jhs bipts and Efforts &c former pro
.,ect2rs in this line, has the cr,di. &c being the
drst to put them il success. full execution. The
public cSnaot have forgotten the moTrfying
shortcomings &c the g!ish Navy 10 the Cri-
mean var. If there IS anything thu. England
lustly prilcs herself ~ i; ia her Navy, and
never wss it more powerful and Efficient than
IN The beginning Of tbs Russian contest
Such ieet as SIR CHARLES NAPIRR took 10
the Baltic, to gay nothing Of the squadron
in the Hack Sea, he worli had never
before seen. We doubt whether the com
bned nsyies Of the world could have held
the ooesn an hour in the presence Of such
Al enemy. Bat the Eogllsh Navy did
literally nothing in tie CriGnaan wal
The small Russian navy kept very prudeatly
under the protection OF its forresses, and
those the fleets dared not attack. Sir CHAs.
Natter Invited the Russian Admiral to come
ort. and the Comm ndapt of Cronstadt invi-
ted Sir CHARLES to come in, invitations
which neither was ia a hurry TO accept
Whenever ship vcntnrcd to attack even a
sman land battery, i; was invariably worsted
These results prompted Lot ~ NAPoLk0s to
try the experiment IF sheathing gunboa,s
with iron, which VS. accomplished in time 70
enable a number OF them 10 engage in tao at
Jack upon the Russian notifications of Kin
burn, which resulted in complete success, the
fortfc ation7 being siienced, ard the gun
boats, though often struck by The enemy 5
halls being scarcely injured a. ali. The next
experiment Of the Emperor was sheatlirg
large ships in tao same manner, the friga.e
La Gloire being me first attolspt and it is
claimed entirely successful. Although never
tested in battle, she has made several cruises
one in rough weather, which showed that her
qualitie- as a Sea-hoat were not impaired by
the iron sheathing. I. Is believed tha. this
vessel, thus protected could whip a small
squadron OF friPates of her own size. Al any
rate, the Emperor is 50 satisfied Of it that Re
ma had dozen m,is constructed IL the same
manner. and the EngiiSh Government is fol-
inwiUg his example. |, is true, the cid sea-
men OF the British sarsice, who opposed
TIE Introduction If steam aud every other
innovation upon established usaees. scout
The iron sheatheG vessels. lat Tie sig
ni15ant fac. remains that England, not
withsiandng the enormous expense she
has already incurred by converting her
Whole sailing navy into steam navy, is
building one vessel IN this he plan for every
one that is built at thu french dockyards. IL
France, where iron j. net Is accessible Us in
hnglaDd. the vessels are wooden vessels
shoathed with iron, in England, iron is pre-
setred, We believe, Ter the whole vessel. Under
thee circumstances, the construction Of or e
ar tr" iron or stcel-I lated vessels by the Con
iedeTsie Government; would seem to be the dc
tate Of true policy, We have little doubt
that single vessel Ct this kind would sink
he whole hiocks1iDg squadron in Hampton
Roads. and assist materially in the reduction
II tho fortress. The subject is worthy the
grave consideration and the prompt action of
no