New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-02-13
UEI,uion's y, fcnsiyc .rHor.v

r. hs Editor i Th'M Y T'ibsar
SIR: propose, with your permission, to ok
and answer a few qucstiousi and should auy b.
disposed criciso no, have oGly 20 say am ready
ana SHAH DO most happy to Iep. 10 Loles a.sument
ct any time.
In the srst pace-
Iihe present system OF applying alnO, an established
princp.oi
What Is thc object OF defensive aTmori
What h cannon bali' or. rather
What oir.c, docs i produced
What is "a lL,N'
Ca "ir,c'udug force" BE- communicated throusl
a soii suhsisuee 10 a Lard onei
Can "fa'turng force De conyeyed t'rol hard
subsistence 10 soG one,
L tie present. system Of epp ing artnor en- 'stab
ii.bed principle
II all science there ara certain G1ed or established
lows. Ibca laws have been tried end proved. and
have passed into the statute books Of science and
ovcy rue msnof science looks up TO them and Guided
by them mariner Is BY tAs compose. No really
scientific msn VIII oontrnlir' or disregard tl,n.
FIT hl- t'' pr~rutsysirm u defensive ggmog B. ca
prt up01 tho "s,atute hooksi'
iiiHk noe Id with all due respect iar tie opinions
70 ttn. Wla a gree With me. venture 90 say 10 never
VII le. 10 r. not only vrors Val pg,senfl SHOW.
Win,lsih-otf af.nslyea ra,ri l. INTENDED or
SUPP cd that ty - Iao sl r" rough an action
md come oui m uIurcdneedIg no r,pIifsi II u Is.
70 is iiy an n. 00.gibhty. I'D Will mover Dc done.
Even d. u slip could BE plated IS cu.y fovt thick.
N iti iron ~ now nsrd Il wUld be- drmaged every
tilt 70 VS. sgucA BY shot aud would have 10 b.
heavy because OF tie unal,erHhie weight Of wafer
nua beearac cey ounce oi iron On snip
which & not actually required L. insure us IN
rrerl1ity. diriuisles ifs srfwprt.lless ~ speed
iu nhl.iy tO FcuUiu NJ sen for WAIT OF C'uL ana
mot Important Il I'D, iis poRcrr of olcif' - gln'
hc trIr 'lrDf o defensive 1rmor m iut opinion, Is 70
enai tie cIlE of tle ship 20 work their guns IN COM
Vurpyc not citaia. raj ~ and 90 tnab' ne hip 10
ts Cd. stand s.Fcn ioaa,. nj M unit itc amount
poIn.lngi and also 10 carry guns enough io destroy
o. o. isib.' her antagonists within given times eua
rso Save her from bei u blown up Boy tie compare.
t.ycy recent sy.tcm II horizontal shell firing bal
before We "a, any moro of nTuor lrt us iuG.iIc--
H. Whit is cannon hllf or rutlci
What ohoot dn,s II produces
became a clAnonba.l Is used FOR W.T. purpo'rs
sud 90 accomplish ruin aud d,s"a,ion. 1t 10
commonly enough regarded won !er.u and trc-
ut ndUns, whereas thcIe IL really nothing tie
m'ad"u' or wonderful about II. IL j. smp
81 eisu and impetus or a body IN motion. means %
cpul - ing power iogcc nom ore gwen point t. Que
or r. messenger sent with given AMOUNT - force
p giyeu distance. with given amount 81 N,iNt the
sudden stopping o which produces an accumulation OF
force ur WEIGHT muu,nta it applied. 81 - shutA.
NM, for I... ma az, sr IN MY Won ,t,u IL
thc gr viii bs thu shock, and che harder the sub
ieo you oppose 10 H. tie Srcsol NH be- the conoHs.
.uN hhu NluI ~ - . Ao'NrN'ilI t.piNellin ~
forcc-n0t continued application Of e. Now We VIII
inquire.
what is the Object II wei v,sseii var vessel T.
the represent u nations power ha watcr and
lr Intended ard WAS snai.y designed To cary tic
nrfIl ~ and men or ono nation L. Curi not only
,aicnflye but aggressive warfare against another
either Us meeting and contrldiug Nith Ike force the
high ST. - or ly entering her private Watorl and bonn
harding and DESTROYING her towns and commerce.
Now ~ order 81 accomplish Thu, war vessel shOulo
certainly have poVeis of ohensc Lc guns nd thc more
ur greater power OF guns the better w1 ~ rOwvr
" duensc-L a.. nrIh1r and speed. Her armot should
b. OF such character - tn be easily paired whom IN
iured and shond oer The greatest nInount of resist
auce 10 penetration atAnahe viii given smount OF
weight aud should b. arranged aS 10 receive The least
amount ~ permanent injury In arrcsiing shot aud
shogl be- of such so nature To doaden the sh0oh
iustud o. rs nov applied Increasing IT, AID last IL all
II shonld be within the bounds Of Ifact.cGb.ll,y as
well ns of possibility.
Perhaps monitor Is about as strong structure
merely 10 resist slot ~ IN likely 10 result nom tho
present syst1in OF defensive armor. l'ut a monitor
carries m Insignificant battery, insignldcans n the
facc of All enemy, on land NJ all e,eGts and cannot
be rendered any stronger moro shot proof without
being rendered wholly inoifnnsVe and also without
by sutrsnoe. Lot uu then look seriously into the
matter. aud see IL this "irol-clad' system IL the
best use with tho end for which It Ii designed
In siowl Il ha,o shown TINT tho result OF stopping
cannon ball Is shock now why should non Do the BEST
material to resist Withstand ~ Tn the contrary,
why Il u about the worst when opposed, as II now
to tho direct action and 10 tho ini ce OF tho Bhotf
~ illustrate tho matlog Lei aal ona lsko AZ oh paf