The New Orleans crescent., 1868-03-15

[From the Phi adeIphia Ledeer.l


The Hercules, said to be the most powerful
iron-clad in the world has just been added to the
English navy. She was 1oated out from the dry
dock at Chatham, where she was built, on Feb.
10th. She is described as light looking, smart,
sea-going frigate, strong as q tower, and fine in
her lines a mail boat, yet prepared to meet all
the winds that blow with iron sides generally
eleven inches thick. and with nowhere less than
six inches, except just under her stern, which no
enemy of course could reach unless he shot up
from The bottom or the sea. This ship Is consid-
cred able to successfully resist the most powerful
projectles now known. She has been twenty
months In building, and another year will be re.
quired TO fit her with engines and prepare her for
sea. England has six such vessels building,
whilst France has eleven. The dimensions Of the
Hercules are: Length between the perpendlcuars,
325 feet giving length over all OF about $50 feet
her extreme breadth Is 80 feet; her depth in
hold is II feet, and her burthen Is 1926 tons.
She is to have screw engines capable Of working
up 10 1900 horsepower and they are expected
TO drive the ship at the rate of not less than
fourteen knots an hour. Her armament is
complained Of however, As not sufficient for
so strong q vessel. Her main deck battery
smidslips consists of eight l8-ton rided
guns each throwing what IL called 500
pound shot or shell. Forward on the main
deck she is TO have one 3O0-pounder, firing
through two ports at bow chaser, and another
OF the same kind for the stern. On the upper
deck there are to be four 6t-toh guns, or l50-
FOUNDERS. The Prussian iron frigste King Will
liam, which Is as large as the Hercules and
nearly as strong, carries battery of twenty six
300-pounders, so arranged that she can fight
seventeen on q broadside at one time. In other
woids, the Prussisn would throw four and a half
tons Of shot at one broadsde against the two tons
of the Hercules-a discrepancy of armament
which, the London Times thinks hardly any
amount Of difference Of armor could long with
stand. The armor of the Hercules is de-
scribed as consisting Of deep belt, which ex-
tends f1om end to end Of the ship, going seven
feet below the waterne, and rising to the
main deck. This belt. is about three feet
above and three feet below the water
line, and is nine inches thick of solid iron.
From this point il tspers of TO eight inches thick.
All over the guns it Is eight inches thick and Is
tapered away in the least exposed parts, where il
is hardly possible a shot could strike, to six
inches. Such p0ndsrous armor was never heard
OF before. but its backing is etl more massive.
The general support of the arnor consists OF
teak beams, of about twelve inches Ia thickness,
and this is supported by u inches Of iron skin
plating ryeted upon the frames OF iron. 10 inches
deep. The inierstices between these iron
frames are again filed with teak, and the
teak again closed in with an iron skin
which, In turn, is stiffened by wrought iron
frames, inches deep. In fact, II one meant to
bore quietly through the ships side at any vital
part at ell near the water line, he would just have
| to bore through inches Of iron, then II inches
of teak. then through u inches iron skin, then
through 10 inches iron frames flled In with teak,
then through Is sches teak, then through another
iron skin and last through the inner iron frames
| in all more than "a inches wonld have to be got
| through, and more than III inches OF these SOLID
| iron. Twenty years ago II would not have been
| thought possible by any combination OF science
10 get such mass to foat, much less 70 be
beautiful looking ship, and designed 70 be as fss
ss mail packet,