, 1862-04-29
Iron.Elad Ships in England.

Correspondence Of the New York Tribune-l
LONDON, April 10, 1862.
The people Of the United States can have
no Idea OF the CONSERVATION into which the
English Government and people have been
thrown by the result Of The engagement be-
tween the iron-clad vessels In Chesapeake Bay.
They realized in an instant, from the success
Of the MerrImac In destroying our ships which
were undetended By amor, thet Of all their
immense navy they really had but two effec-
tire ships- -that Is, the i1on.slad ones:
the subject, and preparations have been uade
with surprising quickness to protect. their
wooden ships by armor, and to build iron-tlad
ships and gunboats:
The combat in Hampton Roads has been
rooms, and Oh the street corners, Us well as in
Parliament, and their expressions Of mortif-
cation ut the f,ct that the Americans should
be the first to tzy and prove the efficacy Of
iron, clad vessels is very lndicrous.. Invention
is now stimulated .tf to pIodnee: guns to throw
armor under whose - weight e-yessef can
!sncy Il their forts, aad hfe aware that even
Portsmouth, their great nayal depot here, OF
Hsfas sxs Se5a Sare seot might Rs DESTROYED
these impenetrable ships. Consequently their
hasteis great, and their preparations enor.
nous, to complete vessels able to de-
fsga fsnd t9s,t heir e,f1s 1st cope With any
20 guns, ,079 tuns, 1850 horse power; Aein,
court, 50 guns, 6,621 tuns, 1,250 horse power;
Northumberland, 50 guns, 6,621 tuns, ,250
hers ho55e power; Yalient, g guns, 4,o6s tuns,
state OF forxardress- before the LIST. Of april
last. The following frigates are already on
| the stocks, which are intended to be aa0at
| the present year: the Caledonia, 50 guns,
| 4,A5 tuns, 500 horse power; Ocean, 50 guns,
! sort, 50 guns, 4,045 tuns, LOCO horse power :;
Royal Oak, 90 guns, 5, 7l6 tuns, 1000 horse
power, and Royal Alfred, 50 guns, 5,7l6 tuns,
| eco horse power.
In addition to the above, there arc 81 line
ofbattle ships and screw steamers on tic
| yeEted into shield-Eh1ps, on principle pro-
posed by Capt. Coles. OF these, some are
already In an advanced state, viz: the Bull
wa1k, 81 guns, at Chatham Repulse, 9l guns,
| at II Noolw1ch Robust, 81 guns, at Davenport
Jealous, 81 guns, at Pembroke. Ali Of the
men who were at work on wooden vessels
hays been removed to the dockyards and en-
ployed on the Ton-plated ships. From these
items it will be seen that Britain will not re-
linquish the supremacy Of the seas without q
struggle.
Term, april 8, 1861.
The battle betNeen the Merimac and the
Monitor will ba forever marked in the annals
Of the European naGies-the construction O.
wooden ships having been at once suspended
in England, France, and Italy, SO soon as tht
details Of that memorable fight arrived BY tht
steamer. Still the result takes different form
from what might hare been expected: Instead
Of ordering ships In the form of the Monitor
the Ministers Of Marine increase eyerywher'
the number Of those ships which have serve9
as 3 model for the Merrimac. In Denmark th'
Diet had at once voted the estimates for tWen
y steel-p1ated cannon-boats the Imperia
Council at Vienna for six: Italy increases be
steel-plated navy so do Francs and England
Russia still lag6 behind, but will soon follo7
with gigantic stride. But not one Of thos
n o. hea fee the
plated Tigates and cannon boats require
more considerable expenditure, answering
better the power ofgreat monarchies. Evj
dently it would not suit them to defend thei
harbors By vessels costing but - paltry E60
0GO.