San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-03-09
THE BRITISH IRON-CLADs.

flagship, the largest masted iron-clad
hitherto designed, is central-battery
ship in the best sense. She is the first
broadside armored masted ship built
with satisfactory all-round fire, for, out
Of y guns, four, including the heaviest,
can fire straight ahead, and two straight
astern. On each broadside from four to
six guns can be used, according to the
bearing of the enemy. So far as the
fighting portion of the vessel is con-
cerned, she is two-decker, unlike the
six armored vessels of the Audacious
class. The battery consists of two Wool
wich rifle muzzle-loading guns of 25 tons
each, and 10 of the same kind Of IS tons
each, the former being size not pre-
viously attempted to be carried on a
broadside ship. To localize the effect of
shells exploding between decks, the
main deck battery is divided into two
parts by an armored bulkhead. The wa
ter-line is protected by a belt, of larmor
of maximum thickness of ~ inches,
and the armor forward is carried down
over the ram to strengthen the latter
and to guard the vital parts of the ship
from injury by a raking fire from ahead
at times when waves or pitching may
expose the bow. The machinery, maya
zines, etc., are similarly protected
against raking fire from abaft by an
srmored bulkhead. The batteries are
potected by armor only eight inches
thick below and six inches above,
which is insufficient protection against
guns now in common use on board arm
ed vessels in European navies., In adj
dition 70 the strength and safety due to
numerous water-tight cells between the
two bottoms, great increased strength
is gained by the employment of heavy
longitudinal bulkhead through the CEN
ter of the ship. By the bulkheads the
twelve boilers are subdivided into four
separate sets of three each, and the en-
gines or twin screws into two sets. These
several water-tight bulkheads are so ar
ranged that any one set of boilers can
be worked Independently of the others;
and all communication can shut off from
either set of engines. The total weight
of armor and backing is 1850 tons. The
vessels principal dimensions are:
Length between perpendiculars, 1926
feet; extreme breadth, 63S feet; depth
of hold, 1873; draft forward, 26 feet;
draft aft, 264 feet. Her tonnage is $3.50
tons, her horsepower indicated on trial
trip $500; speed 154 knots an hour.
The ship has three masts, is bark rig
ged, and is designed as cruiser.
The Temeraire is designed as sea-
going vessel. Her most important fea-
ture is that she carries the upper-deck
armament in two fixed open-topped tur-
rets instead of central battery. At
each end of the upper deck is pear
shaped tower or battery, standing about
feet above deck, and measuring about
SO feet on its largest axis, by 21t feet
across. This contains a turn-table, on
which is mounted 25-ton gun, whichis
raised to be fired over the edge of the
tower, and Immediately after firing
sinks under cover to be reloaded. The
guns in the open battery are fired en-
5arbette, just as guns in Moncrieff gum
pits are, but are not en- barbette at any
other time. The foremost turret is pro-
tected with 1O-inch armor, the after one
with S-inch. The guns have a clean
sweep around the respective ends of the
ship 70 some distance abaft or forward
of the beam, as the case may be. In
order not to obstruct the fire, the bull
warks are kept low, about'4 feet above
the deck. From the upper deck 25-ton
gun fires right ahead, or right astern.
The forward part contains two Potion
guns, so placed as to secure a converg-
ing fire at some distance ahead of the
vessel. The after part of the battery
contains four 1S-ton guns, for
broadside fire only. The guns of this !
vessel are better. defended than those of
any other broadside ship. At the bow,
to guard against exposure to raking fire
in pitching, the ar1mor is carried down
over the point of the ram, and similar
protection is gained for the magazines I
by an armored bulkhead across the hold .
hive inches thick. The hull has the .
usual double bottom, and is divided into I
numerous water-tight compartments. A,
longitudinal bulkhead protects the ma
ehinery. Following are the details of