Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-09-26
ENGLISH OPINIONS OF AMERICAN
-CLApS AND WAX XEANELS.

iron-c vessels of war in this country is eX-
citing the minds Of tae English people to a
great degree. Captain Cowper Coles, OF the
English Navy, in 3 letter to the London Times
claims very great power for the vessels built
on the revolving shield principle, over the
common iron-clads of broadside CONSTRUCTION
Capt. Coles also argues that these tu7reted
vessels may be made effective sea going vessels
rs we'll as powerful for coast and river war
fare. Capt. c., i'll this connection, notices the
successful voyage OF the Rolf Erake, 4 turret
ship built IN the Clyde for The Danish Govern
menf, CT i,it0 tons, armed with q inch iron
plates, and with two turrets each with two
CO. Founders Danish. The vessel proved quite
SeaWorthy the voyage from the Ciydn n
Copenhagen, and the men in the cupolas expe-
rlpnced no inconvenience. Capt. Coles next
quotes the case Of the Roanoke, another Amer
lean vessel, which is wooden ship trans
foImed into turret ship-in short, small
Royal Sovereign carrying six i0-pounders
The writer then refers at length to the fight
between the Federal turret vessel Weeha vixen
and the rebel ram Atlanta, to show the superb
ority OF the turret over the mere broadside iron
clad. The writer then says:
without supposing either of these iroa-
clads TO be perfect specimen of the class TO
which it belongs, we know that the Atlanta
was at least three times as large as the Wee
haWken, carried three times the number of
guns, and that the Confederates had such con-
tidence in her powers that they felt certain of
capturing two OF these turret ships and doing
great damage to the Federal fleet But instead
OF this she was captured by one turret ship in
Inc space OF ifteen minutes from the effect of
only nye shots. Then, does not this action
prove IN manner beyond all controversy or
doubt that a vessel that can carry these heavy
guns (ii0-pounders, with which the turret ship
was armed must be irresistible against ships OF
the present broadside construction, that are re-
duced comparatively to as helpless state when
matched against turret ships as wooden ships
would be against Ordinary broadside- port IRON
clads If the Weehawken, with one turret and
two 15-inch guns throwing shot OF i4O lbs weight
took the Atlanta in fifteen min utes, how lour
will it take the Roanoke, with three turrets
and six guns Of the same caliber, to capture or
destroy any broadside- pert iron clad that we
have, armed with smooth bore 69-pounders or
breach loading rif1ed no. Founders (of profess
sedly inferior power,) being at present the
heaviest guns which we have for service in
the navyp
Capt Coles thinks this is a serious matter.
and u subject which should occupy the early
attention OF the English Government; SO that
in case Of war they may have vessels sufficient
ly powerful to csmpete upon the seas with
other nations.
The London Times, in an editorial, deyotes
considerable space to this same subject and,
after noticing also the battle between the Wee
hawken and Atlanta, says:
ITO return, however, to the general question.
in American practice. In artillery the calibre
OF the gun and the weight Of the shot are made
as great as possible in ship building the turrer
pattern prevails over every other. These
principles, too, would appear to be in some
degree connected, II we are to assume-what
has not yet been proyed-that only turret ships
can carry very heavy guns. But neither one
principle nor the other has yet been recognised
in this country. We are building turret Ships
il is true, among other models, but we have not
given them any preference, while such thing
been conceived. Our artillerists, indeed, have
explicitly condemned the very doctrine on
which the Dahlgren system of ordnance is
based-that Of throwing heavy projectiles with
low velocities-and prefer to rely on velocity
rather than weight.
IL must be remembered, as explanatory In
some degree of the contrast between the two
systems, that the Americans are shaping Ali
their efforts according TO the exceptional re-
quirements OF special emergency. Thew
build their ships for coast work and harbor
service only. 1t is by no means certain that
any one OF the ironclads engaged in the siege
of Charleston could be sent to sea with safety
They are intended only for such work as they
have been performing, whereas the conditions of
our experiments are far mo re extensive Never
theless, until our inquiries have been aided by
further evidence, 1t would be unwise 20 assume
that we are right or tpat the Americans are
specimen of modern fort, we should say that
forts had been fairly beaten by guns, hut we
know that the tort was only piece Of patch.
Work, and we are by no me ans sure tnat il was
effectively armed. We therefore suspend our
Judgment and content ourselves with indi.
dleaung the successive incidents which this
war produces Tor our instruction and guid.
ance.'
FIEANcIAL.-New York papers of yesterday
evening say the stock market is lower and has
a downward tendency. Government stocks
were firm but not acdve. The sales at Nh,
board were the coupon skies Of 1881 at lEk.
and certificate of Indebtedness at og3l for x,
new and 10l y for the old. In State sto:ks iitric
was doing. Tennessee. skies were sold a, "a
ana CanioInia seVens at ll9x. Missouris were
at ,3s X, and exchlnge is selling at issal5ans
Win WIN a iair demand The loan ket il yerv