New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-12-03

which the gun was capable OF enduring safely' 70
the extent OF 80 pounds but this was not known al
the time, and all will admit that the occasion was
no, one when any risk was TO be incurred unneceS-
earily.
The Monitor only fred ~ shot, and Of th'so many
no doubt jailed to strike from The unavoidable dill
Guilty Of aiming with perfect precision.
Setting aside the disadvantage due 10 iirs' essay
in a combat q this lind the circumstances were en.
,rely favorable TO exhibiting the fall powers OF
liron-ciad slps Ike tho Monitor aud M-rrim,c-the
distances being short, and the object but little above
lor Glow tic leve.
When mach deviation IL required, particularly on
account Of tie hight of the object, the tire OF any
p Of war loses proportionaly 10 effect, by reason
of The officially in aiming; and the vessel is also
moro expossd to serious damage in the close potts
OF an iron clad the oimer must be seIiJnsly aggra
waited OF Which had an example III the attack
upon tie work on tho james River, when the Gaena
and Monitor participated, and could never make
their gups tell July Us tley would nave done had
the batteries been lower.
The operations that have been conducted here
with reference to tie power Of different cannon and
probe es well as the resis ance Of IRON plating
have been far satisfactory that the results derived
have been consistent
Sill they ara liable to srch qualification as may
be properly due TO practice upon targets only, nnd
in some sense favor the defense, because many
sources OF weakness which are unavoidable IN tho
extensive strnctnIe OF ship undisclosed In the
strong, new, and welknit target, bat Will appear
when vessels are subjected TO IRE and TO The wear
and tear Of time aud service, especially at sea.
So long Us the ponderous armor il merely attached
to the shin. and 10 not made 10 contribute 10 the
strergih Of the fabric, but severely taxes that
strength, So long will there be involved serious
element Of deie Goration which will a.tor q while
impair the general capacity for endurance, and In
the end unit tue snip for battle.
In this respect as in many Others the turret claes
are TO be excepted from much OF the preceding re-
mark; and probably OF greater and more certain
endurance under fire than the ordinary plated
vsssel.
So far. they are likely to hnd tho mos. ftting
sphere for their peculiar powers IN the lees troubled
waters OF hsrbors aud rivers thongh the ability
that has devils D them may also be able to give u
wider scope 20 their usefulness.
ARMAMENT or lRON-CLADs.
So little having been determined with regard 20
tho preferable mode Of srmoriDg ships there VIII
me- essarily exist. already observed, much offer
Of opinion and practice Us TO tho ordnance that
will ne nOst seryceable.
hi. woull DO reduced to very narrow limits,
were il possible to decide uteIiseutly upon tho
claims Of smooth and ried cannon.
But tie obviously unprotected condition Of the
latter in exposes an obstAcle 10 fair consideration
Of ia menis, which the ingenuity OF very clever
men has long been oxertod upon without complete
success.
/ ]. The riied sho, when moving correctly 10 the
more accurate 10 first grsz-. though not materially
80 al moderate distanoes--say 800 80 80 yards
Beyond mile It's advantage III this respect IL very
marked.
/ .. But after snoountering any object lis deAec-
tons are OF the nosi cratic description, and II gen.
orally tumbles over 80 as to nulhfy its force, and
~ nder its subsequent direction beyond conjecture.
! Wner, fore tho nied shot has no capacity for
ricochct which il OF the most certain modes OF
operating with the round projec'ilcs IN naval sor-
vice and ia Of the utrnos, importance because 30
ma sue, fall abort and strike the water lrss.
3 The rife shot hes greater penetration than the
round, but much Ices conclusive power.
A, tho present time considerable improvements
ore required 70 give regularity and certainty the
distinctive qualities Of She nGef shot; and there Is
htle trouble experienced al'o with the stripping
Of soa metal from them and the imperfect operation
OF iheis il.os.
Thee beng defects rather 81 detail will doubt
DO ultimately 20, nd OF. Meanwhile, the rife gun
il gradually making lie way into the service and be-
coming belt uLdefs,ood by soldiers aud sailors.
4 aItuoo at the forms which O. Is arm has assumed
in dil.fcut countries, shows the great variety of to-
nlons hat the problem is capab OF, and may pos
ably indicate some difficulty in uniting all the quail
M.,s d,,iged IN one picoc.
Inc yfo.ioss diversity will be noticed, for in
ftance between the device of Armstrong aud II
Wriiv orih. ard tho Canon Ray6 OF the French.
Thcy di.Isr iot'ly Ia tha material and construc-
don Of tlc cannon, projsctllo aud fuse.
And Wide 10 ose service IS entirely satisfied
with Ia own arm, u seems to hnd nothing better IN
ia o. another.
II. IN ba,,,ring an igon-,lai, penetration only
.lall DO .he paramount consideration end other
e.'oct. meny Incidental, the riils cannon must DO
-ei.cied.
Bat il The conclusion and SCATTERING u tho plate
and backing be preferred, with such penetration
%. might be consequent thereon then the heavy,
ssit, round proJeciilo Will supply the blow bed.
yied 20 such work.
" long ~ { present mode Of plating continues,
t.re can bs little Doubt that il will be most ELECT
lively attacked by cncAiny aud bending the iron,
t.aF;iLg the bo.ts suit pug OF tie armor and break
Ing away large portions Of tue wooien structure
within.
And TO this mode Of action feel more inclined. /
after witncsi IT. efslt- upon numb Of targets
lated with solid iron, or with thin plates boted
Ito ono tie direction " The me bellg perpendicular
or obiiInc.
rhs Ir,n.clad Galena suffered most IN this way.
lIe hre was 81 well directed distance CO. yadsl, |
.t most VI the shot wore clustered ,Jout The midd
u lac ride exposed, II The lanyel had ssryo' tor
mark; s-y.rsi remained where shfy had lodges IL l
tbs iron pgt!' 4, which, by measurement, prov t. ,
be 6.-pouude's; o.hcrs had Gully dAted Ihe erm0r
aud fallen Oh while a fow had paced en.lrely /
through.
Seen from tho utide, he damage lid no, appear
considerable, bit within Il was ,yidsntly irrUf
bls for tho entire structure Of tie vessel was 30 |
shattered tina. there liIto power OF retis!anee
left.
The number Of guns being very much reduced, 81
necessity iu iron oIads Ilrtcnlssly IN the tnrets
which will o1ly accommodate q par Of them II !
would naturally be supposed tias tho .;h. Of
bro,dside wo,.id nl,o b. inl "a.
But tie very ifrse c..iiiors that are likely TO 10
adopted viii 80 i.r compen site for tine loss IN num-
Der that the Jia.uion OF power yyiil not bs import
ant, and, ia rome ins.4nces, there wii 10 sa.a IN
weight vi pf0Jocnle
Thus, toe Morrimrc originally threw |. i2i pounds !
from tno bro .t-ide and the ut change have IN
creased ths 70 2 iiO ponds
Whereas the Roanoke, which belonged 20 tia, |
cass. and ~ now converted into tlrreg ship, will
throw 300 lounts ~ an object aboam, when fuzzy