Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-07-15
The Test of the Hronclads

the operations at Alexandra gave the first op-
portunity naval men have'had to test the merits
of the improved modern ironclad and prove its
superiority when pitted against guns mounted
ashore in forts OF approved construction. The
bombardment was a practical trial. The Egyp-
position, no rams, no tOrpedoes Nor were their
works armed with guns or equal weight with the
WORK to dowas simple. TWAS in the main standstill
hight, and the ironclads got the best OF it. The
forts and earthworks OF Arab Pasha were speedily
Knocked about his ears, but the ships came off
practically unhurt. The fact shat he used solid
shot, and not shells, probably shows that hts main
hope was to sink the English vessels That they
resisted this fire SO well bears witness to the com
parative impregnablity Of the modern man-of-
war Most OF the ironclads were struck. The
inVlnclDie, broadside snip, having but six-inch
armor. was anchored during the action off the
formidable work, Fort Meks, offering a fixed
The invlncibie was hit often and penetrated
six times. but she is OF class only partly pro-
tected. The enemy's shot rddled her unprotected
parts scattering splinters here and there, but her
battery and water line were well armored and
enectually resisted serious hurt. She had but six
men wounded. The Penelope, similarly constr1c-
ted, was penetrated five times-but in no vital
part, owing to the disposition OF her armor-hav-
Ing one gun disabled and eight men wounded
armored vessel OF the fleet, was hit FIVE tines and
one slot went through her .unarmored parts, kill
ing one man and wounding two Others
Inc lnneXible, when she was launched in 1876
was regarded as the most formidable engine of
naval warfare In the world, and still compress
1a'orabiy with the Dandoio and Duilio. the two
great lta liam ironclads, armed with 1Ooton guns
She Is turn-screw turret ship, $50 feet long be-
tween perpendcuiarS al IS feet in breadth at the
widest part, being literally rectangular armorad
castle All the vulnerable parts OF the ship arc in
closed In the central citadelth remaining sections
are simply designed to float it. This ssboy." 40
feet by IS, Is armored feet inches above the
water line and feet inches below 1t. The
plating varies in thickness but at the most vital
point consists OF "a inches or solid iron In tw coats
each strengthened by Orders, backed by teak
packing II inches thick, making wall ii inches
through. The turretS are placed on either side of
the snip en- ecielOn within the citadel walls the
1Oreturret on the port side, that all four guns
can be discharged simultaneously In the same
direction. The guns can also be depressed so as
10 1lre down On the deck Of an enemy alongside
The turrets, OF q feet internal diameter are
formed OF single thickness of armor Is inches
thick, back with as much wood and an inner iron
skin. The Inf1exiDle has crew OF about $50
men, but two men can work each OF the guns
She has speed OF Ia knots, but is not q very
nancy vessel In a sea way Her first cost was
about &, 100000. The InflexibleS 81-ton guns are
designed TO throw prOjectile weighing 1.7OO
pounds, with 35O-pOund charge OF powder, and
the vessel carries 40 rounds per gun. The calber
Is 10 inches. In the trials at Shoeburyness with
1ull charge OF AS pounds and ,76O- pound pro-
Jectile, one OF these guns gave velocity at the
muZZie o. t57 feet per second, showing that the
gun IS equal to the destruction OF a ship with
80 inches OF armOr. Its range is about ten miles
A surprising report comes that the effect pro-
duced by the lnhPxible's S1-ton guns was not
commensurate with their size. The S5-ton and
l2-ton guns are said to have done the best exc
cut1On.