Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1864-01-06
An Inn8NDg Gun.
4 rsw Dritish eoo.r oun1sr.

.,rs~ ~ Lss1ss Daily Esss. D.. lssA.)
fne lest few days have given - -
the largest ship Of war in tie world, &C.
tablisbisg more 6reiy superiority #
magnitude W already held, IN vistus Of
: whole sqssdsos 81 gigsntis vsasels
vhich tn leisosaue aloss could place
q The second rank. Bat withis only
: few weeks " have cleo become poe
sessed Of . gun which is in . much
greater proportion in advance Of oil
our previous efforts, asd which. # y
prove able to stand the work Of war,
relieves 10 from the position Of inferi-
osity, humiliatios and psril, u which.
10 comparison With other nations, We
have for some time stood. This gun i
Sir w. Armstrong; e0o-pounder. Nor,
while We still retain the opinion that
The specisl advantages given during
ssvsrsl years 10 that gentleman have
operated ssfairly to HE competitors and
injurioasly TO the nation, shall " grudge
him foil recognition, or stint the meas
urs Of thanks, if he shall fiually prove
successfol in supplying the weapon
which the maintenance Of our honor
and security requires. It is therefore
not carpiogIy, but only in Desdful ssa.
ton, that Ne observe that this enormous
piece Of ordnance has - yet been fired
not dozen times, that judgment on ito
msrits must be suspended till further
trial 10 made. The GOO FOUNDER wsighs
only tour times - much - the pres
eut es>pounders that form the chief o..
pament Of the navy, and might there
fore 1t once b substituted for them in
the proportion Of one to four. OF
course it could not bs worked without
mechanical appliances, but Capt. Colss
has shown how these couId be adapt
cd, and Mr.. Reed declares that they are
equally avaiIable in the case Of broad.
side ports. Machinery must, however,
be employed for loading - we'll - for
pointing, and in this there will proba-
bly, be found an inevitable source Of
delay which will limit the usefulness Of
the huge guns. Ten minutes st Shoe
buryne.s elapsed between each round,
and though the time will to some o..
ten. be shortened with practice, there
must always elapss 20 much - to al
low an snsmy's ship to change its po-
sition to an extent which will render
the aim and elevation of the next shot
very doubtful. So it does not seem -
II sailors would ever come to like these
monstrous pieces for their chief arma.
ment. One or two on board ship will
be useful, but little handler weapon
will be employed for the main work Of
fighting. But supposing only one dis.
charge from the big gun to take effect,
what will be the effect on the enemy
1t is clear that we have already al but
reached the limit Of thickness or armor-
plate which = ship can carry, and
we must, therefore, expect that il
will prove no effsctual defence
Rut = ship, as We have often reminded
our readers, does not sink at once be.
cause cannon shot has gone through
her sides. And, though the cauuon-sho
10 question is bigger, and will make ,
bigger hole than has ever yet been seen
, yet there are several ways Of meeting
the difficulty. We can, above oil, nov
build iron ships 20 that their sides con.
sists Of - many cells a. . honey comb
and the whole interior is merely an az
glemeration Of Independent wster-tight
boxes. ANY one, almost any number o.
; these, may be pierced and filled withou,
endapgering the ship. 1t is true tina,
|! the explosion Of monster shell within
them will do great damage aud cause
terrible loss Of life. But 1t must be re.
collected that the fatal effect of shells
against ships has hitherto in great meas.
nre resulted from the infammability of
the ship, combined with the fact that 4
single leak, If large enough, allowed the
water to fill the whole vessel. Remov-
ing, a. We have done, Independently Of
armor, and BY the mere principles Of
construction 10 iron, the liability to burn
and the liability to sink, it remains to be
seen 10 practice whether sny amount Of
slaughter BY one or tive missiles can drive
our seamen from their guns, or compel
the lowering Of our flag. And at the
most, the skill which can 90 candle
ship and gun - to fire tho FIRST fatal
shot will still, under the new circum.
stances, maintain its relative superiority
10 the skill We have little cause to fear
defeat. Obviously, however, what We
have now more than ever to strive for il
the power Of rapid movement combined
with the smallest bulk which will carry
efficient guns in . sea way. And more
than ever, therefore, 10 there reason to
defer entering into further expenditure
on broadside trigates till the capabilities
Of cupola ships are fully tested.
Tho Alabama.. Burnisg Of Two Mo,e
American Aerchsntmsn.
IRON the London Morning star, Dec. 15th.l
Intelligence was received in Liverpool
yesterday BY the India and China mail.
to the effect that the notorious Coufsd-
crate cruiser, Alabama, which We report.
ed few days ago - having left the
neighborhood fthe Cape Of Good Hope
for the east Ard, had be,n making her
self known amongst tho American ship
ping bound from the East Indies, etc.,
and had, up to the last account, captur-
ed and destroyed two first class Ameri-
can merchantmen. From the few par