, 1880-07-23
RUSSIAN: M;SAN: CIRCULAR IRONCLADS
. : =
A AsProobable Revolution in War
An English Criticism Of tho New
~ Tub Ship.
kendott 1ymsst Ialp u.

,
Tho oroat nnuticnl pypcrt1ncntnow In progrn6s
ontno clyde, unt,ot tho ausploes Of tho Russinr
uovnrnment, will command attention through
nit this world. Tho adoption dotnQ ycafs aRo OF
ihr circular form for heavly.armored lrou-
rla}s by u distinguished Russian officer, waa
startling innovation, which but comparatively
Tow persous hnvc allowed themselves to regard
lmpartially down even to tho present day; but
II was m Innovation which found somo degree
of sanction in tho fact Tint grcat advantages
had beeu previously secured. IN our own
navy by tho construction Of short and broad
nrn,orolads. For bis now adventure, how
.yer, Admiral popotf mny lay claim K. absolute
originality. tho tendency Of PRACTICE md exporl-
enco In this and ovcry othoF country possessing
a steam marine being altogether adverse 10 tho
alortion Of extreme breadth md extreme short
ness In light unarmorcd steamers. The new
immortal yhcht docs not, It Ia true, closely ro-
tcrnb.e tho circular ships a8 to bo " as broad as
sho is long," but hor length ts only about Quo
and d hnlr times hor breadth, aud these proper.
lions arc in far greater contrast with tho I,rt,.
PORTIONS Of our i1rgo and inst ncean stea.nGrs
thNn nro those Of n circular trnnclad win tao
Hciicrophon Or tho Devastation. There y rrnl,~
ably country besdos lsussllt ln which 5ha pr,s,
would hnvo boon ruccivo<l With fnyor: but u WIS
s tss s xta snsy 1h &c ,Sd Paa ISS
6 ns ,mnose s MfsSSsf s th9 harn an *
vgssci Is desgncs. Ii. noting these ciro,l,n-
stances NO must ron,ombor that theso hl9h ner.
ii Tho circular ironeIas at sea. and u ls III fMli
view Of thoir proved merits AZ and dor tiomoriss % thAt
fitoWiso s sppo,ntcd * @ Admirnl P9poG freailont Of
inSnch S OF th!s % peW %addition 10 tho iopodkn Is
lifting oocaston for offering some general re-
marKs upon sosaols Of this ,dosoriptioI A. u. ,,>
Tho tnOst elementary Boiunco shows that tho
bcst fprI, r0r giving ilotntlon to fort would
10 Tho circulnr form. and my departure n,tt;'o
ifS o%'as ,i powes wSaa nnd sho waSht
a,lu thickness OF the nrmor with which It could
e Ws 81 S, S StnG a aaygsa S s,e s5eS an
s.eam poWcr and The l on,d earry M wtn 4
is aonate rsdacten il Tho protoetlns araior. In
eas ensse from tho necessity q sivlnS motioa snd
gused to tho whothor tho not circular
wne!hor ,9r ~ tho SHep".i ioss would be A's sreator
from prrscrtln8 the circular form and
puttinE II tho necessary stoam power, or from
varying the FORM 10 oFdef 70 nuke ioss steam
power suffice, It y not necessary here 70 deter
milne: II would DO M for tho scientific naval con.
before him. 70 doo,do between these competing
tsta e at W M sSreo os fos ZEE
Il sSlex 10 bs csrr!ci I'll over vpuia be impossible
t. xs t9 the sy1hy ng
s-I.t
from thc oa lucas assSclatcd N!th sailing ships,
SGccps mete IrSe nouaTh gnnait1ons IN nc spa
Ws ssai feGoao taTLaoe ~ nia taG1nor 1rom ans
l1Fn's anu pFoporuous y ofulnnry lruhclRus
and nnpsoach nenTSE and nearer @ 10 the gen. @
ernl luea ol tho fopo1ka. When onco tho
dayolopn,ent Of tho trencna9us powors Of steel'
seaA 9a aro lnaah NE primary con-
1deE1tl1hs py ntfni eonatrsfctofsoi OF War onanea
Rc shall propaDty Wltnese eh9ngca iaf Krontef
Than st nmy We haso yot soe E1r u ~ certH!nly
sh!ps hAs beem niuch oaoGked md ennarrstss,
ed uy HOO kefslsteit gesIro tn gavc our ar1notcd
tortGsscs the FORMS, proposuot1s, and Qualities
ol etminon snlps: In onr yerS hEst ehort at
ituncMa .constf1letlnnLVlz.: tho nuildin8 or tno
MaFflor-wo coH,Initted ourselves n ro1hArk-
abls tnnn;!er 4s to thIs GoaTsn The warrior w!s
T'dievlous! having hor iiKhtinK fortress enc.s1.
cred WIN !0rgo ulsartnored enus Whieh
would haro soou 1eeh her ruin III action.
na r. which some o. nfr ylfai ,eShan'sln m sshe
lesIrlcfiqn; while tho fortified part Of tho ship,
1aslng thc long, hgavy. and enally ponntr1lhlS
cnas to tioat could cnrry. even upon ita limited
battery such nrnor only rs 6aroly deserved 70
70 cnlled nEmor on nooount OF Ita thlnness. ln
me InHe1lblQ luQ all our lAttat CONSTRUCTIONS