The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-07-29
The Test of the IrncIads.

The Test of the IrncIads.
The operations at Alexandria gave
the first opportunity naval men have
had to test the merits Oft improved
modern ironclad and prove its super
iority when pitted against guns noun
ted ashore in forts of approved con-
struction. The bombardment was a
practical trial. The Egyptians had.
1t is tue, no vessel to maneuyer in
opposition, no rams, no torpedoes.
Nor were their works armed with
guns of equal weight with the SI-ton
guns of the English ironclad Infec-
i6te. The work to do was simple. 1t
was in the main standstill fight, 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 unhurt. The
fact that he used solid shot, and not
shells. probably shows that his main
hope was to sink the English vessels.
That they resisted this fire so we'll
bears witness to the comparative i'm
pregnabiity of the modern man-of-
war. Most of the ironclads were
struck, The InUlaci6le, a broadside
ship, having but six.inch armor. was
anchored during the action off the
formidable work, Fort Meks, offer
ing fixed and broad target to the
Egyptian rified cannon. The Lnuin-
chile was hit Otter and penetrated six
times, but she is one of class only
partly protected. The enemy's shot
riddled her unprotected parts, scat
tering splinters here and there, but
her battery and water line were we'll
armored, and effectually resisted Sc
riOus hurt. She had but six men
wounded. The Penelope, similarly
constructed, was penetrated five times
but in no vital part, owing to the
disposition of her armor-having but
one gun disabled and eight men
wounded. The Laferi6le, by far the
most powerful and best armored
vessel of the fleet, was hit FIVE times,
and one shot went through her un-
armored parts. killing one man and
wounding two others.
The Lyae.ri6le. when she was launch
ed in 1875. was regarded as the most
formidable engine of naval warfare
in the world. and still compares fa-
vorably with the Ddndolo and DuilJo,
the two great Italian ironclads, arm
ed with 100-ton guns. She is turn
screw turret ship, 800 feet long be-
tween perpendiculars at rs feet in
breadth at the widest part, being
literally a rectangular armored castle.
All the Vulnerable parts of the ship
are incIosed in the central citadel;
the remaining sections are simply
designed to float it. This "box,"11O
feet by rs, is armored feet inches
above the water line and 9-feet and 7
inches below it. The plating varies
in thickness, but at the most vital
point consists of "a inches of solid
iron, in TWO coats, each strengthened
by girders, backed by teak packing
II inches thick, making a wall Al
inches through. The turrets are placed
on either side of the ship en- echelon
within the citadel walls, the FORE
turret on the port side, so that all
four guns can be discharged stimuli
taneously in the same direction. The
guns can also be depressed so as to
fire down on the deck of an enemy
alongside. The turrets, of % feet in
ternal diameter, are formed of a single
thickness of armor, 1S inches thick,
backed with as much wood and an
inner iron skin. The LySeri6le has a
crew of about $50 men, but two men
can work each of the guns. She has
q speed of 14-knotS, but is not very
handy vessel in sea way. Her first
cost was about S3,00O.OOO. The In
Vinci6Le's 8l-ton guns are designed 10
throw a projectile weighing 1.7OO
pounds with 350.pound charge of
powder, and the vessel carries I2O
rounds per gun. The caliber is 16
inches. In the trials at Shoebury-