The New York herald., 1862-03-19
THE MONITOR.
SHOT PROOF vESSEIS-ERICSSON'S BAT
Terry.

SHOT PROOF VESSELS -ERICSSON'S BAT
Terry.
By ISAAC NEWTON, FIRST ASSISTANT ENGINEER, y s. n, Now
CHEy ESGINsRR THE MONITOR
[From the Journal OF the Franklin Institute
At the present time, while the government Is working
at the problem OF iron clad vessels ana all thinking cti
zens are deeply Interested and anxousy awaiting the
result an IMPARTIAL discussion Of this very important
subject would be out OF place. 1t matter too OF
penditure of many millions OF dollars.
We have delayed long the construction OF ironcad
shot proof vessels, but before commence to build
subject IS absolutely necessary Even TINS delay may
however, prove to be great advantage. il gives
tho experience Of both France and England in building
them, we'll the knowledge eliminated by the voli-
minous papers written by professional men and pub
shed the prime pal magazines of England and also OF
the discussions both for and between many Of
her prominent engineers, army and navy officers.
Many OF these articles and also several scientific
have declared in the most emphatic manner that 1t would
be an act OF utter folly TO place another wooden war ves
sci on the or even to complete those already COM
menced.
naval and military matters, and TO whom the British
navy Is greatly indebted for its present efficiency has
most strenuousy opposed all such radical changes The
arguments facts and statistics brought to bear by Sir
Howard against the use OF iron vessels for war purposes
1t would be well for every unpreudced person to examine
before forming hasty conclusions In these remarks
Sir Howard does refer particularly ironclsd
sells and his criticisms that class Of vessels prin
cpay as to their efficiency as cruisers to take place Of
his "Naval Gunnery' in his eighty fifth year. This
venerable and conscientious has been, this
count assaled every side by host OF writer's, who
whatever else may have been their ability had that
thorough scientific knowledge which was necessary to
combat the OF facts and arguments he displayed
The project OF clothing with iron armor for the
purpose resisting shot Is not Of recent date is
generally supposed it was suggested by Colonel Pax.
hans better known the inventor OF tho Paixhans shell
gum nearly forty years ago. The first examples have,
however Of iron.clad vessels those constructed in
France and copied by England in the late war with
11nU in ptrncf tim Uif hA i'm.
mense allied fleet at the attack on knburn and the
suit FAR these batteries concerned cannot be
regarded settling much in their favor Douglas states
them TO have been utter failures at rate they could
not carry their armament, and all their guns
conveyed in transports employed for the purpose*
The two types Of ron-cad vessels upon which we have
been accustomed to look the French Glore and the
English Warrior.
These ships differ essentially in many points but they
both possess defects inherent to their mode of construc
ton, which impair their efficiency either cruisers
floating batteries and the idea that such vessels to
take the place to perform the duties required Of the
old fashioned wooden war vessels Is not for moment to
be tolerated. proposed to show that the principles
adopted in the construction OF both these vessels
roneous and that for the amount Of money the Warrior
cost eight nine ron-clad steamers perfectly mpreg
nable to any proecte she can throw at the shortest
ranges could be constructed and each capable or
coping with this vauned frigate Vessels Of the usual
form, plated with impenetrabe armor, will not fuihl
either the conditions required Of men-ofwar Of i'm
m egnablo ships Both the Gloire and the Warrior may
be OF special service against neghboring beligsrent
Power but not a. orusers nor as antagonists which we
need fear.
Iron plated shotproof vessels have their especial
function to perform; they can never Re anything more
than auxliaries navy and aduncts to forts for the
defence OF our harbors. bays and coasts.
Let examine the two mail-clad vessels mentioned.
The Glore the rst completed The project, it ap
pears had long been favorite with Napoleon III.
She is overloaded with the enormous weight Of her ar
NOR $50 tons and her armament that III anything like
heavy sea- the waer not only up into her ports,
which are but the Of the water but
rolls her sides and over her Her centre Of gravity
is 50 near the metacentre, from the fact that the i'm
..eisfh Of hnru nhnva hr
much above the centre of gravity OF the water
displaced compared with ordinary vessels, that she
very deficient in stability, and consequently she rolls
very deeply; bosides she has no great speed: when
loaded for and in smooth water, will probably not
be nine knots
AS sea going ship she is therefore, an utter failure
The only duty she can perform and that ndiereny is
that OF floating battery. ~
1t may be said these defects be obviated future
In the Warrior in endeavorng to correct these, now
Nature will not change her laws to be successful in
mechanics they must be obeyed.
The English naval architects appreciated these difficult
ties and tried 10 correct them much possible
will be seen by the plans adopted in tho construction OF
the Warrior.
This vessel differs from hsr rival in several important
points. KY
l. She is constructed entirely Of iron, whereas ithe
Gioire IL a wooden ship ironplated.
Q Only the central portion Of the chip covered with
armor each end for length Of nearly one hundred feet
is built in the same manner as Is usual with ordinary
iron steamships, the sides being made Of plate iron
fve.eighths OF an inch thick. -
Gloire.
The reasons for these important differences are obvi
As OF her admirers has well stated speed had 10 be
attained in combination with shotproof hull and had
the proposal leave tho ends Of the ship
been adopted this combination would have been prac
tcay impossible. except with far greater dimensions
than even the Warriors.
Hor constructors, has been remarked, appreciated
tho defects OF the Glore and endeavored TO OBJ
viae or least to amelorats them much was pos
sbe In the construction Of the Warrior. They de-
ermined at any rate TO build ship which would perform
u1tto md nrn trad 20
excel their rival in speed The Gloirs deficient In
stability she would be mere log in ssaway her gins
but six feet from the and could not be used
all except In comparatively calm weather. Therefore, TO
these difficulties they build larger ship and to
make assurance douby sure (as regards sea qualities
and SPEEDY, they only cover thireenths Of her
en.th with armor. Even the increased alone
very great advantage in assisting them to accomplish
these ends This apparent when is remembered that
the area DO covered by iron arnor increases ~ the
the square, while the capacity to carry it, in other
words the displacement Of tho vessel, increases as the
The part protected by shot proof armor does not in
tb ship. much exceed the length occupied b. engines
aud boilers
Again: her ends being from the enormou. weight
OF snot.proof armor they enabled to make them
much finer than Otherwise and almost for tho rst timo
ia the construction Of vessel the was
the last thing considered 1t was ship rst and battery
last.
she is according to the published statements forty
eight gun ship Of which but thirty six protected by
shot proof armor These guns tho sixty. els ght-
Founders Of hundred weight has been stated
hundred FOUNDER Armstrong rifled guns.
II has been perceived that both extremies OF the War
rjor exposed TO de- t.ucton that only the ntral
part pretended TO be shoproof Tho mass, sails and
rigging liable to be shot away. and srew the decks
10 drag the sdos and eDtaDge the
II from being used Th bow, together with the rigging
II supports ana the stern, which not oly contains tho
officers quarters but also supports those vital parts
aud rudder will be exposed to destruction by the
enemys shot, and most certainly they viii be the
amoi at
Although when both hsr ex,remities shattered aud
aed with water she may not sink her situation at
would DO one Of extreme danger If attacking fort q.
cation equivalent " capture That the mistake OF eav
ing these ends unprotected acknowledged every candid
person will admit when IL Is stated that tho
vessels being built England are TO be- plated from
stom 70 stern the beautiful overhangng prov aud the
round ornamental stern, which have ali considered
essential features OF war, are Abandoned they
begin 10 understand now the defects the Warrior
we'll they did those of the lorc, and APPRECIATE tho
roughly tho nsfcigncy of the enormous and cx,rava
giant vessel just completed In the vessels the bow
and stern Will be nearly alike; experience has taus ht them
tho difficulty, n not the almost impossibity OF plat
vessels Of the ordinary form with shotproOf