The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-04-05
ENGLAND's IRoN-CLAD FLEET.

Launch of the Big Ship 'sNOrthumber.
Iand' at the NIiIIwalI IrOn-WOrks-662I
TOns-HOrse-POwer I35O-The Prince
and Princess of Wales and Lady Percy
Present - Full Description of the
Monster.
From the London Times, March II.
To-day another addition to our fleet of iron
clads Will be made by the launch of this huge
vessel from the yard of the Millwall Iron Works
and Shipbuilding Company. Their Royal High
nesses the Prince and Princess of Wales are to
be present, and Lady Percy, as representing the
noble house OF Northumberland, is to name the
ship, which will be sent afloat under every Cir
Cumstance of ceremony.
AS specimen OF lron.clad architecture the
Northumberland is beyond all doubt the finest
example OF skilled workmanship ever set ahoat;
but as a mere instrument OF defense she is much
behind both the Warrior and Black Prince:
The fact is painfnl, but no iron.clads have
come up to the conditions OF excellence Of the
two which were first built, and which we have
Just named. In speed, in strength, and in sea-
going qualities not only have the Black Prince
and Warrior not been equalled by more recent
productions, but all our later vessels have
shown such a steady deterioration in almost all
these qualities as TO make it Il serious question
whether II is wise to continue building on our
present plans At first two distinct classes of
vessels, known as the Warriors and MiROtdurS,
were deslgned and built.
The Warrior and her sister vessel, the Black
Prince, were ships of 6lOO tons, $50 feet long
portion of their broadsides with 45 inch armor,
backed up with Is inch of teak, angle irons, and
an inner iron skin. These were only meant to
carry 46 guns, 26 being protected within the
armor. 10 on the spar deck, and 10 more at the
bows and stern, would have no armor, but
which are so subdivided by a webbing ofiron COM
partments that they might be riddled with shots
without much danger to the major part OF the
ship. Each of these vessels of the Warrior class
is driven by engines OF 1850 horse power, nOmi.
nal. They have hitherto proved not only the
fastest ships of the navy, but, from their bow
and stern not being overborne by heavy armor,
they are buoyant and tolerably easy even in a
head sea and very broken water.
In an unfortunate hour, however, the Adm
rally undertook to improve on these fine models,
and vessels of what is called the MiROtdur class
were ordered. These ships include the MiROtdlT,
the AqlRcOIrt, and the Northumberland. They
are of 662l tons, 400 feet long by SO feet inches
beam, and plated from stem TO stern with 64-inch
iron, instead of 4b-inch on backing of inches
of teak, instead OF is inches, as in the Warrior
Their horsepower, too, was increased from 1886
to 1850, with which speed of sixteen knots was
expected, and as Mr.. Penn, who makes the en-
gines, promises it, there is every likelihood o
its being attained.
The Northumberland is built on the ram sys
TEN, having what is termed q swan-breast pro
truding forward beneath the bow under the
water, and the stem OF this portion, which
would have TO resist the first shock Of a blow
in running down ship, is a most gigantic
forging, as is also the hinge iron beam which
forms the stern frame. Every part OF the vesse
ls of iron, even to the spar.deck, though tn
metal here, which is less than three-quarter
of an inch thick, is OF course, covered Wit
wood, in the ordinary fashion, and the iron
only meant as a protection from fire in cases q
hull Is divided into longitudinal and transvers
Water-tight compartments, There are no les
than fifteen of these, which not only insure he
safety in case of accidents below the waterlinC