New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-12-27

,bc same calber. bat little less horizontal range.
and the only defects in the ship were her immense
spars and cumbersome top-hampcr. Had the spars,
tripods hurricane deck and other top-gear boon OIL
she would have been the best and most efiicient
ship in the navy Her loss haslso terrified the naval
men here that it may he long time before they get
again on the right track TO perfection in war ships
The naval artillery of this country is excellont and
the desdefatm Of o1ensiveness is almost completely
realized The Armstrong G00-p0under is formda-
BILE weapon It's penetration is less than the Whit
worth gun but its crushing force Is far superior ana
it is safe to say that broadsde ship can hoat with
coat of mail capable of resisting the powerful con-
cussion of its shot, especially il the backing has
little or no elasticity.
RAMS.
Little has been said of one class OF vessels-the
Ram-and yet it is an important subject for discus
sion You will recollec that the destruction Of the
Italian frgate Re dItalia" in the battle OIL ssa
was effected by the process Of ramming 1t was the
first case Of the KIND of any magnitude in modern
times The circumstances, which have narrated In
former letter of this SERIES extraordinary and
may never occur again. In tho American war Inc
capture of the "Merrimac' contemplated by this
means and the Vanderbilt and other strong, swift
vessels were collected for the purpose In Hampton
Roads. 1t would be novel sight. and one NOT un
likely to occur perhaps in future naval operations,
to see two vessels like the Hotspur, lighting onei
on this plan, without resort to guns 1t may be well
enough to have one or two in every naval meet,
but fail to any very good reason yetfor maxim
an entire navy for ramming only. Any ship may, IN
case of necessity. be used as ram, for there is
strength enough In the prov Of any large vessel 10
sink another under certain CONTINGENCIES, Ley
MS recolect the hundreds of examples OF col
lision Mt sea between even light passenger steamers
and sailing clippers, and then imagine tho terrihc
force that can be exerted by the stem OF monster
war vessel clad in heavy mall and propelled by two
powerful engines, full head on against an antag0n-
lists sidel
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.
The practical results to which our critical survey
of the British naval establishment seems to carry u.s.
are First the ships draw too much water; second,
they are over spared third they are not protected
by armor as ships carrying guns of such heavy cali
Der should be; fourth their speed moderate fifth
their armament is excellent; and as whole, TINS
navy is the best in the " Jrld
For the information of those whose fortune IL may
be TO engage these ships, might make the following
suggestions: If your guns will penetrate plating
close az you can get, and take advantage OF Their
slow and rolling movements, If you are kept Je-
tween 1000 and $500 yards from the muzzles OF
those Armstrong and WhitwOrth guns you have lit
tie to hope for In the not improbable event OF
war between Russia and England, Turkey, Austria,
and Italy, the duel will practically be between Rus
STA and England. The iron-clads Of the other
Powers combined would bring but q feeble addition
of fighting strength to Great Britain for their oen-
sveness is so indifferent that II the ships themselves
otherwise good they could do little HARM unless
they should resort to the tactics of Admiral Tegetho
off LISA, and Commodore Franklin buchanan OIL
Newport News. SR.