The New York herald., 1866-07-31

In addition to this force of sea going elads
France had sixteen roncad floating batteries mounting
from eleven sixteen guns and OF two hundred and
twenty five 10 five hundred horse power France also
possesses rama harbor defence vessef-of great
power, 10 Tanrean, mounting two guns 10 turrct She
Is Of five hundred horse power lie Taureau Is not only
destined for harb defence but for sories against
enemv's blockading feet. With the exception Of tho
Tanrcau the French clad system is the from
10 stern The upper spar deck buwarks not clad
a. general thing az the deck Is only used for spar and
sail manGuvring, which In action will be avoided
much a. possible.
The only advantage of the European clad system Is that
given 10 the Irondes-raidity of fire. But the great
dsadvanage which fiigh1ul rolling, IL plaster
ing as IL were an immense weight OF metal above the
water hne in lieu of heing and snug the moni-
Ra the centre OF gravity OF vessel and rolling
will naturally result II produces what sailors call stop
heavy-a defect they dread in vessels with good cause
ESGLASD's CLAD NAVY
Although England may lay claim the FIRST floataton
iron and boast OF profusey and widely distrbu-
ted and combined deposits OF iron and COAL yet she
backward in adopting the system OF iron clad vessels As
FAR back 1872 shot experiments were made against
iron plates The experiments were continued from time
10 time til 1859, yet strange 10 say, resulted In nnfavor
able reports not that iron plates were not proof against
unhroEcn shot and she'll but, ms Sir Howard Douglass
says ha the fragments Of shot aud shell produce
effect more formidable than shclin Yes, until within
eight years sr II. Douglass the opponent OF IRON
cascd ships To the exerions of Captain H. T. Halsead
and other distinguished officers England led 10 con-
slider the subject of armored vessels but really by the
proerese,yo movement OF France Albion was spnrred
10 action. France had four clads the stocks
before England commenced her first. At present the
effective clad fleet OF England s larger than that Of
land continued believe II cbimerical and hestated
follow in tho footsteps of Dupuy de LONE. When Eng
land did stir she undecided as TO the choice OF sys
In 1855 she possessed hve distinct classes OF
models The two first armored vessels built by Eng
llnd-.lhe Warrior and Black Prince-werc OF the CEN
tal tort system the natural successor Of the ordinary
broadsido system n system most generally adopted II
resulted from the OF using thicker armor In the
vital parts Of the vessel than supposed 10 be ade
ouaie when early iron.clads were built Mr. Reed
chief constructor in lieu OF covering the whole vessel
with inefficient armor and sinking her too deeply in
In fhA Tan mar M n
belt at the waier-ne Though the bows and stern,
like Ironsdes, were unprotected, yet these two
vessels had tho forward and after deck buwarks
plated thus forming a complete clad central battery
Engands types OF clads were re;-iron bottom vessels
with batteries completely protected; iron bottom cen
tral eased mate ships; wooden backing completely
mored; wooden backing cased fnafo central battery
cupoa turret system The latter W the system ad
vocated By Captain Coes-the system OF the monitors
whereas the ends subserved by the power Of
turning The turret whereby the nre may DO discharged
In any required direction. Tho Royal Sovereign and
Prince Albert fitted with Coles ~ turret We will
refer 10 the former IN due lime
We win dvergo from tho subject Of clads TO Captain
Coles claims Of the urret invention Captain Coles IN
letter 10 the Timer In November 1885 says that thu
idea protecting guns by shield hrst occurred to him
He then propbsed 10 x a shield upon ran which could
be easily turned In 1859 he says that Mr. Brunei sug
gesod that Il would be better 10 place hs shield and
upon turn table than TO have 70 move the ra 70
turn the gun. Though Captain Coles had ac-
qured an idea how TO move his shield, he
had not made up his mind 70 Their shape
nrst monitor made iis appearance when Captain Coles
edopted The monitor form o. trrrct for the Royal scvs.
reign. Captain toles Ericsson OF borrowing ms
deas yet the Captain letter 20 the T,n,es In 1852,
that his experience the Baltic and Black seas IN
lsbb arIt suggested the idea OF building impregnabe
yesaols On the 26th September 1854 Ericsson Tor.
warted 70 the Emperor Napoleon drawing OF cased
vess With revolving ironcad urrct protecting gun
The receipt o. the communication immediately &C.
| knoelcdgcd by the Emperor Ericsson n gentleman
/ whose mechanical reputation Is world wide Captain
colee, the contrary, by his acknowledgment,
| knows little or nothing OF The subject He could not
suggest the machinery Tor rotating hs urre and az last
asopiei rollCrsa primitive dca TO say tho least OF H.
The rollers involve the necessity OF the turrets resting
the lower deck, thereby causing annular opening
round each urrct 10 permit It's free revolution II will be
dicut 10 keep this annusr space watertght We re-
fersd 20 Captain Coles because OF hs assertion that
Esoson had stolen his invention Captain Coles IL Eng.
lands humbug-onc Of those officers, influential men,
such ~ and ether nations have--men who through
their ,nds obtain hgh positions and thereby secure
regulations far beyond their just merits
Of the di oerent types of models mentioned England
possessed AZ the beginning Of last year. thirty vessels
principally frgates; Of the turres model she had four
Enrands e clad like the French armored With four
and half inch l,atee The experiments made with tho
nfissn nch shot, projected BY 1zy pounds of Sowaer.