Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1862-05-21
The Naval Revolution.
WHAT GLAND IS DOING.
EE|g DESIGNS AND GREAT UGDE. TAEINGS
AN IRON PLATED COAST FLEET

AN IRON PLATED COAST IEEI j.
IRON the London Times, April 21.l
We are informed that II step Of great
importance in the existing state OF our
naval affairs has just been taken by the
Board Of Admiralty 1t is well known
that at the present moment our entIr~ Heet
of small vessels Of war is built Of wood,
and is wholly unprotected by armor pla-
ting. Every corvette, sioop and Eunboat
In the service Is Liable, therefore, TO sud
den and comp. etc destruction by the shell
ire of an cncmv. In view al these facts.
a comple.e stop has recently been put TO
the further construction of vessels oi this
ind in the rol a dockvards In France
lor some years plst, aud in America du-
rn-r the last wear, small oapiated craft
have been destined ami butt; bat IN ali
cases these have been lit 10 operate upon
home coasts and hartors only, and have
been wholly incapable o periorm.n- gen
eral sea service Our oWn Adm rail- y
AMI their constructors have naturally been
averse to the building OF similar vessels.
but at the same time no means OF pr0du-
cling sea -goin. plated ships OF moderate
dimensions have been ievlsed At len Ith,
however. a method OF construction has
been devised, which is said to afford great
security, with a comparatively small
amount of plating, and which has met
with the full approval of the Board
The new design has been made by Mr.
+. J. Reed, formerly of the School of Ma
val Construction, Portsmouth, now Secre-
tarr 70 the Institution of Naval Architects,
under the general supervision Of Admiral
Robinson. the Comptroller of the Navy
1t is applicable TO ships of various classes
and provides for the use of a powerful
plated battery of Armstrong guns, with a
great range of fire; for the security OF
the ship from penetration between wind
and water; for steaming power scarcely
inferior to that of the prese At unprotected
vessels; and for the protection boilers,
engines. runner head and steering ap-
paratus. These advantages are said
t. be secured witt out at all compro-
missing the fitness of the ship to receive i
complete RIG and equipment, 50 that she
NAV be fit for sea- service IN any part of
the world The design, we understand,
has been placed unreservediy the dis
posal of the Admiralty, who have issued
an order for its immediate adoption, and
have appointed the inventor, Mr.. Reed, to
superintend the construction oi the yes
sells in Her Maiestys dockyards. he
timber now in store, and even that already
converted, will be available for the new
vessels, whi .h are to be timber-built be
low the water, but incomhustibie at the
upper part Although the design was
only completed week ago, a | the pre-
liminarv arrangements for carrvinS it out
have already been made, under the imme-
diate care of the Comptroller and the
Duke of Somerset. The first vessel IS to
be commenced forthwith at Deptford dock
varl. and is to be named the Enterprise.
IMMENSE ARMAMENT FOR TWO
NEW FRIGATES
from the London Times. April 23.1
During the past few weeks large sup
plies of the best descriptions OF both an
gle and plate iron have poured into Cha.-
ham dockYard, to be used IL the orStruc-
ton of the iron steam fri gate achilles,
80 The number of hands employed upon
the vessel will shortly be increased 20
700, the utmost number thai can be ac-
commodated In the factory adjoining the
dock n which the 4cbitteS Is under con-
struction Mes>rs. Collier, of Stafford,
have recently orders To erect two powe =
ful machines in the tactory-one SLOT
tinu" engine, for cutting and shaping the
slabs of iron which will form the shield
plates of the Achilles, and the other
planning nuchi;.e, the largest OF It's kind
in the world. for smoothing the surface
of the plates before they are ailNed to
the ships side
The projecting bow Of the textiles.
forged nc the Thames iron works, has been
fixed in Its place, and the sternpost VIII
shortly be received from Glasgow, where
it is being forged The following are the
principal dimensions o. the Achilles -
Lengta between perpendiculars, $50 feet
length of keel Tor to Ea-e. 3:SS ieet : inch;
extreme breadth, 5S eet inches; breadth
Tor tonnage, 30 ieet / inches; breadth,