The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-08-05
A Naral Fight.

Auayal engagement has taken place
between two Of the noted English iron
clads. for tho purpose OF testing the
ability Of iron to Withstand shot. The
frst shot at tho Citation was fred from
the GOO-pounder OF the Hotspur at u dis.
lance Of 200 yards. It struck the roof
Of the turet and streak OF fame attest.
ed the severity OF the blow. The second
shot was fred, and 1t told. An account
says: The Palisser proiectile had struck
on the horizontal Joint Of the l4-ineh
plates, mud had forced them slightly
apart, rs was clearly marked by the dark
line on either side Of the perfectly round
shot.hole, It was indeed terrible shot
for the turret /; It had hit under the fifth
rib as II were, but It's mechanism was not
hurt its gealfng was oil sound. The
turret had held It's own. The hitting
force OF that huge shot wns over 6,OOO
ioot.tons the s. pounds OF pebble pow
der had hurled it with speed OF more
than 1900 feet per second. The tirss
shot had cut away two OF the stanchio1s
on the top Of the turTet-this explained
the thin fash-and had twisted some Of
the railing bars. The second shot had
struck full on the middle OF the tprret
between the joints the shot.head re-
naming in the hole, the depth 70 the
end OF It's core being II inches, and the
cape OF theplRtes 8 inches, diminishing
to zero at about or 3 feet on each side.
Inside the t,lrret the ll.inch iron lining
was stripped from behind three OF the
vertical nbs hallway down on one side,
and from top to within 4G inches Of bot
tom on the other, aud turned back DO.
tween two Of these ribs the shot had
driven the double skin ont into the ham
mock, splitting the inner skin at the
horizontal joint OF the outer skin. The
middle nib Of the three was broken
through midway Of its height the cape
being two inches. All three ribs were
contorted, and long slivcrs Of the wood
backing protruded through the crack in
the skin.plates. Three Of the rear ends
Of the large through bolts were exposed
in vertical line, the nut Of the middle
one being broken of at the commences
ment Of the Minus screw-thread, andthe
rubber OF the lower Bascombe washer
being pressed out Mt its edges. The
damage was by no means severe, and
was such as Shoeburyness experiments
would have led one to expect.
A third shot was fred, md 1t WIS now
clearly seen that the ttirret had been
struck low, close upon the junction hne
Of the glacis.pllte--a perfectly round and
dangerous wound. AllanxiGty was sOog
relieved, however, by the sight Of the
turret slowly revolving first one way and
then the other. Again away in tho ten.
der to inspect results, The shot hal
struck on the leather fringe just where
IL covered the extreme edge OF the glacis
plating; thenceit had curved slightly
upwards, driving into thelower fourteen
inch plate midway between the ports.
The shot-head remained in the hole
which was perfectly round-but was
easily got out, when the penetration was
found to bel3l inches. Inside the fur
ret the only damage done was the knock
ing of the inward ends Of the two wood
buffers agninst which the GQn.carriage
would aGut when the gun wEsfii ont Of
the port for action. Tho result was por-
fectly satisfactory, for nothing could dc.
monstnte the excellent qualities Of the
turret more completely. During the
practice goat, fowl, and rabbit, with
several buckets Of water, were kept in.
side it, tho living creatures coming out
unscmtched from their ordeal. Both
these rounds were most fortunate, and
us the lattor solved the problem Of the
free working Of the turret without heel.
ing the sliip-which was only intended
to bring the junction Of turret and glacis
in position to meet the direct FIRE Of the
Hotspur's gun-iurther practice was
abandoned, except that theport shoppers
Of the Citations turret were taken ont,
and her two guns run in and out with
perfect case, her turret turned by hand
and by steam. and a 6O0pounder shot
fred from each Of her two guns.