The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-12-11
NEW IDEAS IN NAVAL WARFARE.

NEW UEikaC LIN NAV AL w AM A1E
OVERWHELMING SHIPS TO BE DRIVEN
FROM THE sEAs-COMMODORE AM
MEMS IDEA ABOUT RAMS.
Commodore Ammen, chairman o.
the Bureau of Navigation, has written
a letter to the Navy Department in
regard to a proposed marine ram. He
says:
1t may he worth while to state that
Commodore Barron of our navy, hall
a century ago, made a model of ma.
rine ram, and Commodore M. C. Perry,
of our navy, quarter of century
ago, expressed himself emphaticaIy
upon this subject, but left perhaps the
embodiment of the thing undone.
Abroad we find in the British and other
services eminent constructors who pro-
!; nounce positive opinions upon the
effectiveness of the marine ram. Ad-
miral Teghethof, of the Austrian navy,
at the battle of Tissa, gave practical
illustration of the power of ramming,
in vessel not specially constructed for
the purpose, and recently ON the Irish
coast, the Iron Duke, without inten-
ton, showed the fallacy of water-tight
compartments, at least in ordinary
models, in sinking the Vanguard. It
seems superfuous In view of the facts
to argue the value of the marine ram.
x Armor-plated, gun bearing YES
sells, costing several millions of dollars,
have either to be built, maintained, and
kept in repair, or the nation not hav-
ing them must possess the power to
destroy them Thus the marine ram
assumes ten-fold its former significance.
1t is fair to presume that if marine
ram can be built, in round numbers,
for third of million dollars, which
would as one of a feet be more than
match for an armor-plated, gun bearing
ship forming one of fleet, which
would cost $3,O00,0OO; and if the
former would be manned by Is or 20
men, and the latter by 400 or 500, the
cost and maintenance in time of peace,
and effectiveness in time of war, would
clearly be in favor of fleet of marine
rams rather than one of armor-plated,
gun-bearing ships.
If the ram be found superior for this
purpose to armor-plated gun-bearing
vessels, it is plain that no nation will
continue so build them, from the fact
that they could never place themselves
in position to use their battery against
the works of an enemy possessing rams.
x x The points of construction
of a marine ram are yet unsolved, but
the most effective must embody the fol
I, other things being equal,
economy of construction; 2, the great
est speed possible in combination with
other essential qualities; g, great facil-
ity of maneuvering; 4, immunity from
injury in ramming an enemy, and
greatest powers Of resistance when |
rammed, or receiving the fire of an |
enemy.
Keeping the above considerations in
view, the working drawings of pro-
posed ram are submitted by Commo-
dore Ammen to the department. The |
ram will be 175 feet long, with 80 feet
beam, exclusive of three feet of spon-
sons on each side of the body of the
vessel; 40 feet each side of midships
will be symmetrical; beyond this the
ends taper, enclosed by parabolic
curves, fore and aft. All cross sections
will be formed by two semi-ellipses, the
deeper one forming the bottom, the
other the part of the vessel above the
line of greatest BEAM The vessel will
be combination of the. longitudinal
and bracket frame systems, and COM
posed of % girders, built up of plate
and angle irons to break joints, and
thus form continuous girder. The
ram will be casting of temperedsteel,
having a solid end; but inside being a
hollow cylinder with. radiating fanges
cast around it, to which the girders
will be riveted. The vessel will be COW
cred with an outer and an inner plating
Of iron. The ordinary draft will be l
feet. By allowing water in the lower
she may be sunk for act
ion to 13 feet, showing feet only out
Of water. The pilot-house will be a
small turret of 6-inch steel plates, feet
high above the crown of the vessel, pro-
ecting 2 feet below and inclosing the
to protect them. The to-
tai weight of the ram will be S04 tons;
1875 tons. With a We
Ioslty of II knots an hour, it can give
blow or impact Of 1920 tons. The
plans will be examined by Secretary
Robson and the matter probably
brought to the attention of Congress.