The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-04-17
whitworth guns and steel-poin.ed shot to try TO
sink our iron-clads.

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sink our iron-clads.
Important Points DEMONSTRATED by the
Recent Attack nj Charleston.
Now that the news of the recent attack upon
this rebel stronghold has been digested the
questions which naturally suggest themselves
are:-First, what light has the affair thrown
upon the utility of the new engines of warfare
which mechanical science has recently brought
forth Second, have any of the well matured
axioms Of military and mechanical science been
overthrow? Third, what useful lessons may
be drawn from this conflict relative to the vital
subjectof seacoast defence?
The iron-clads of the Monitor type, although
exposed to the heaviest cannonade at short range
which earth has ever Witnessed cannonade
which, from rapidity of fire and power of ord
nance employed, surpasses that of the memoir
able bombardment Of Sebastopol-passedt this
fiery ordeal with comparatively bat little
damage. Indeed none Of them were injured to
an extent which few days work cannot COM
pletely repair. Even the far-famed Whitworth
balls, which have time and again pierced
the armor Of the gigantic Warrior, did not pener
trate them. The only casualties which oc-
CURED were caused by the bolts which were
broken in the pilothouse of the Nahant; and
this from manifest oversight in not covering
the bolt heads with the sheet iron guards, with
which most of the Monitor feet are provided.
So thoroughly has the designer of these re-
markable vessels comprehended the necessary
qualities in armor to resist the enormous
dynamic effect Of the impact Of cannon ball
of great weight and velocity, that, in order to
render the side armor Of our iron-clads. abso-
lutely impenetrable to the most powerful
ordnance which may be'made, either here or in
Europe, it is simply necessary to enlarge the
proportions-the principle. even to the most
minute detail, now being thoroughly estab-
lished.
The armor of the Monitor feet now afoat
and which has not yet been penetrated, con-
sists, as is well known, of FIVE one-inch plates
fastened in a peculiar manner to very thick
oak backing; now the armor of the new Mont
tor feet, at present about two-thirds completed,
consists of nine inches of iron, with an oak back
ing nearly three feet in thickness, it is fair to
premise that nothing but q gun exceeding in
power any yet brought forth can penetrate this
barrier. Again, the large Monitors of the Dicta'
tor and Puritan type have arm9r often apd one
half inches of iron, backed with about forty
eight inches of oak. This, combined with the
vast speed, from the enormous power with
which these vessels are supplied, they will pos.
sess, renders them beyond all comparison the
most formidable war vessels In the world.
The maxim that no amount Of fire from fixed
Notifications can prevent the passage Of steam
vessels-of-war through an unobstructed channel
has received . marked confirmation from this
engagement. II Is patent to every one that had
II not been for the distractions in the channel
the fate of Charleston would have been sealed.
No amount Of Ere from the forts could have
prevented the passage Of the iroR-clad Aeet
Admitting this fact, It necessarily follows that
the only way of meeting an enemy provided
with iron-clad vessels is by an equal number
Of still more formidable iron-clads than be
brings against you. Let mTf0Gt hx sDts exam.
de, and not place our trust in fixed forts for
the protection of our principal harbors, such as
New York, when the humilating expedisnt oil
distractions is of doubtful utility. Can any
one contemplate, without feelings of deep morti-
acation the blocking up Of the harbor of our
city, except by floating impregnable defences
capable of annihilating an enemy so audacious
rs to attempt an attack? 1t is useful Lesson,
and we hope foreign nations may profit by it;
for it is certain that should they assail our
cities, with their approaches defended by Mont
tors armed with ordnance with which the genius
of our engineers is about to provide us, they
will not only be repulsed, but destroyed.
The failure Of the immense English feet to
attack Cronstadt during the late Russian war
has often been adduced to prove the efficiency
of casemated forts; but it is clear to all UMPIRE
JUDGED scientific men that it was not the fear
of the forts alone which prevented the attack,
but the certainty that should the attempt be
made, and the feet badly handled by the forts,
the Russian feet would come out, and, while
the English were in crippled condition, COM
plete their defeat. 1t is upon our floating de-
fences we must chiefly rely to repel invasion;
and If we avail ourselves of our mechanical
resources an invasion will never be attempted.
In the engagement at Charleston three types
Of iron-clads were representative Monitors,
with their Eliminated armor; the Keokuk, with
her sandwich armor Of wood and iroa. which it
may be safely said will not be repeoAd; and
the high sided Ironsidss, with her solid plate.
The Monitors, as we have just stated, stood
the heavy FIRE with but comparatively little da-
mage; the armor Of the Keokuk was pierced
through and through, as II IL had been paste
board, and the armor Of the Ironsides, though
not penetrated, behaved a. solid slabs always
do when struck by heavy shot-it was
cracked, and another shot oflike power striking
in the same place would have passed through.
It must be borne in mind that the Ironsides
was at about twice the distance that the Moni-
tors were.