Daily Nashville union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-04-15
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LOndon Timea on
tween the rrerrimae
The Iron FIees of Frn


a.Ondon Times ON
tween the Fearimae
The Iron FIcct Of FRI
The London papers deyd
20 the combat between the Merlin md
Monitor. The Times styles IL one III the
most interesting incidents that have
marked the war. For The FIRST time the
newest applications Of science haye been
tested in a FIGHT betWceu foes Of equal
courage. Who would have thought vt
possible that, after England and France
had heorfzed 80 long ON iron-plated and
iron proved vessels, the first real trial
should be made by the inhabitants Of the
peaceful New World, met in unnatural
strife, and, Furthermore, that victory
should rest with the party less yersed IN
naval tactics and construction?
Itadds
We see by the Merrimac that a'vessel
can be made practically invulnerablo
even 70 the heavy naval guns which are
at present in use, Nothing now remains
for our Admiralty but to discontinue the
building Of wooden vessels, and to con-
vert all that viii bear il into machines of
war resembling the Confederate frigate.
| The only real opponent which the Mer-
rimac found was another iron-plated
! frigate and, had il not been for this
vessel, il is possible that the Merrimac
might have destroyed the whole Fed
eral squadron.
In another article the Times says:
The results were most remarkable
NThe two vessels engaged each other at
close quarters fer five hours, after which
period, but then only, was the arinor of
one of them perforated by shot II was
the Monitor which thus drew the first
blood, and the Merrimac then retired. 1t
does not seem, however, that she was dis
abled, and we are expressly assured that
OH board the Monitor not man was
hurt.
Facts like these may we'll induce us TO
reflect We find that wooden vessel
when matched against an iron one is lit
orally as helpless as was predicted The
Marrin.ae did actually knock the Cmber-
land Unto matches" and in very few
minutes, but when she was encountered
| by ship Of her own class, an action of
| five hours enSucd with no great damage
| t. either side. Yet, we cannot imagine
that either of these vessels makes any
approach in strength or power TO the fri
gates we have built on this side Of the
Atlantic
There is one other conclusion, too,
which we may draw from the operations
of the American belligerents. The al
legged efficiency of gunbOats against
heavier vessels has been disproved. The
COnfederates appear to have built upon
this theory at first, but their mosquito
flotillas" have never succeeded. Neither
at Port Royal nor Roanoke lid their
swarm Of grlnhoats produce the least ef-
feet against the large ships Of the Eede-
rails. Vesseis Ui tins class operating up
on rivers, in conjunction with land forces;
have proved Of the greatest service; in
deed, the Northerners owe most Of their
successes to them; but, in narrow seas,
and against heavy frigates or sloops, the
small craft have been found as useless as
a feet of canoes No gunboats, as far as
we can Judge, will do the work of our
Warrior nor will any lrigatc, however
we'll armed or commanded, be able to
make wood stand against iron. Our obli-
cations in this matter haYe proved costly,
! but il is evident that the reconstruction
of our navy" was not commenced an
| hour too soon.
THE MONSTER InoS FLEET or FRANCE
LPa.is Cnrch 49, correspondence OF London Times.
The following is an enumeration of the
iron ceased ships which the Minister of
! Marine has at his command and which
might proceed to sea on the receiptof
dispatch from Paris;
-Four frigates, each nine hundred horse
power, carrying from thirty-four to forty
guns, with crew of five hundred and
seventy men.
A corvette, with a crew Of two hnndred
and fifty men, carrying fourteen guns
the corvette is one hundred and fifty
horse power.
The iron-cascd frigates Magenta and
SolferinO, might if required, be prepared
for sea within three months they are
each of one thousand horse power; they
carry fffty-two guns and a crew Of six
hundred men.
The Prince Imperial, frigate Of equal
force, is not 50 far advanced. is not
expected that she will be ready for sea
before the end Of the year.
There are likewise on the stocks ia the
various ports Of France, ten irOn-cased
frigates Of one thousand horse power,
each carrying thirty-eight guns, and
crew of five hundred and seventy men,
and likewise six iron-cased corycttes Of
one hundred and fifty horse power car
rying fourteen guns and two hundred
and fifty men. In case Of necessity, all
these might be formed into line Of battle
within ei1bt Months