Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-12-15
Ocean Iron Clad, a Failure.

We hsvo something over FIVE hum
dred war vessels Of oil sorts and s,ze., oil
which none are IRON clacs fit for service
on foreign shores. Not unreasonable
hopes arc entertained that the ,w.
ships Paritan and ictator, now in
course Of construction, will he able tc
cross the ocean, and IT the same time
be 'mpregnsblc. But even it we lsi
10 this expectation, We shall not be
greatly. II at all, behind for e,gn nation,
10 tbs matter of sea going vessels Eng
land, after expending a hundred and it,
~ million dollArs, has succeeded in OF o.
duvi"g arrnored vess-'s ,h.t are failures.
and quo that Is prec sely Of the came
character. She has Con. Ieted Elk iron.
clads, which draw twen,y EIGHT feet oil
water, and are % clumsy that they re-
Qnlre circuit Of three miles to turn
themselves around. They roll 80 IN
heavy weather a. to become entirely
nrmanageable, aud have another SELL
ocs del. ct in being utterly unable 10 a
single case {, cro.s the ocean. Their
great drAught reudsrs them unfit ~,
barbor defence, for The reason that there
are Ut on~ or Two potts 10 Great Brit
ain ~hich they can enler. Hence, ia
every vital respect. the English naval
armament, both 10 the line OF ships and
gu0.. - . Iailure.
France Is but little better in this re-
spect, tor OF the sh,ps-of-l,ne-,hc Nor.
nsundie, CoMv0mme, Gloire, Magemtu
and S,Lferi"o lately ut 10 sea
not one could battle successfully with n
light storm that arose, but were oLlig
ed much damaged, t. take refuge n y
French naval station. The Emperor Of
the French mas expended enormous
sums 90 these vcssclp, and ba. succced d.
ed in producing number Of ''tuts, ="
which, at the fret indications Of a storm,
were compelled t. scnd into harbor to
AVOID go'"g to the bottom.
There is one satisfaction in our preren
condition. If we are unable 10 attack
foreign natl Sns With imp,e enable iror :
clads they are equally unable to attack
u..wb,le 10 the matter Of hat Dor deieuce.
We hare class of vessels whore oumbe,
anil strength enable US to DEFY the world.
Even should E ,ylsnd and France, sbl.
to get feet their Wtsrrio,s and Glo;ye
over here, they have not one that would
stand longr under the fire Of ar enor-
mous guns that did the stlunsa under
the mosst.ous projectlIes OF the Wehaw
ken. A yet no nation has produced
Satisfactory sea-go'ng armored vessel,
while ofall. We are the best prepared fo,
home defence.
At the present advanced destructive
propcr,ies " artillery. 1t is Impossible I.
construct q vessel which ehalI be heavy
esoug to resis, them, aud which at I'll.
came time shall DO light enough 10 c. o..
Q tewpestuous ocean. This circumstance
will ,sud 70 render wars between couu-
tries separated by oceans infiequeut, for
each will hereafter possess such enor-
NOUS capacities for home defence, tina,
the others will not be abio to constroc,
anyth,ng correspondiogIy offensive. Al
the psssent stage OF id ssnccmeut il de.
f.nsivo warfare, there is not the sliqbte.;
danger Of England, France. or any o,he,
nation declaring var ag.ins the people
who possess 500 pound Psrrott ca, sand
who have .uch chips - the Ironsides aud
the turreted Monitors - CAicogo Time.