The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-05-06
Englnndps Land FortfhcatiOns Against
an Iron Fleet.


In the House OF Lords on the 11th ult. Lord yEMAH
asked what was tbs intention Of the government with
tho lortihcacns atSpthead and abiding to tho
It's OF the recent experiments at Sphead expressed
his o9nion that the rosult OF all the scientific trials and In
were with respect TO the relative powers OF attack and
deence whom the hset converted into iron ships
there would be nothing at the dockyards TO defend Or 70
The Earl DE GREY RPoN glad that question
had been raised this occasion for The government de-
sired to question fully discussed their only
object could be to provide economical chsapy
possible for the public safety He not surprised al
tho attention which the action 10 Hampton Roads had
attracted for brought home 10 the mind Of eusy he
great change hich taking place IN maritime carfars.
St IT not the desire Of government TO procssd too
hastily from any facts, however striking; but they
would inquire into the bearing OF these facts upon pre-
yous experience and the experiments at shocbuyncss,
they ought not to too hastily depart from the course
which had been deliberately adopted after fu consds-
ration The cost OF the works Al Sphsad already COM
meneed $3.50 ,00o the contractor had made greaA
progress and Como to considerable expense in maintain
ing plant and Materials but tho total cost would %
sS4o ooo Of which this ESQ 900 was Cor foundations,
&C. Ho must explain, however, that the fsrts were
stopped there W0lld Be very ie sdrd % to be ouaildbe
for ships The totakcost Of the fozlcations recon-
mended BY the Conynssloners WIS 10000 oss e
eli 900 0oo but Parl aent had only sasn asked TO sane
tn tho raising OF 90 900 oo0 and q this &9oo zoo Va
already expended land and ,Ss FOR
would DO absorbed by July next II was also supposse
that by stopping u works eli 900 would be saved
,oas convinced ~ Ms ,oouid net Be- a. opinion q
those vho had studied this question Tho Commits
sonere hAd Haways intenusu tnas tneso iW
should b. sag plemcrued " featng batsriss, which
the govcrnn0 had by no means neglected, TOT tho
Of ell 600 900 only referred 70 permanent and Liked
offences TS sng batteries were most essential pars
Of tho scheme but II they have thirty or forty Monitors
scattered ao ~ the coast they might be available at I've
point Of atts X. They would thoreforc DO most costly
and not alto gsther eable for after what had occurred
at Shoebar mess IL must be felt that IL was still desirs-
bio 10 tort y the most exposed aud important poins
He ooDhu the report in the Times OF the experiments as
Shoebpy ness accurate They showed the power
Of the ~ ery which they already possessed, but there
roe lily no limit 10 he rocer Of the gun and he believed
that short time tho results would DO obtain Cd
ush greater distance than two hundred yards dis
ancs and Sir W. Armstrong told him that day that he
was confident ho could make gun OF the medium rangs
bet geon the forts and Spithead These experiments
sb wod also that the great secret lay In the charge OF
v yder and 1t was this account that the American
Guns with small charge, produced SO little effect. II
appeared that day the iron plate had tho BEST but
the next the gun fegeincd its superiority With these
shifting results the most eminent scientific authorities
had concluded that there was limit which they could
easily sec by the thickness OF tho armor, and tho
weight Of the gun which ship could carry, y was
10 float but the limit or the power q the gun was distant
and at the present they had hardly appreciated Wne
IL was desirable that they should not proceed 700 asty
in matters attended with much expense WHICH tney
might soon after reverse but although they Wcre IN Jus
stale or transition thy must weep on ewi 1tlh oher
Countries hui there was limit TO tho thickness OF
tho IRON aud the weight OF the gun, wncn they could
pacs on fort IL intended TO continue forts and
boating batteries, and they ought not " altogether
| overlook The fact that the herrmac, when iIassd