The Wilmingtonian., 1886-08-21
IRONCLADS.

in this country, during the time Of the Civil
War when the Merrimac and Monitor were
constructed that that movement was the ini-
tiation Of the idea of iron ships for purposes
of war.
Assistant U. S., Naval Constructor Fran
els T. Bowles says iu his report to Congress-
The U. S. S. Princeton (1s42-'43) was the
first screw war steamer. She was designed
by Ericsson, and her success and construc-
tion were mainly due to the efIoits of Capt.
II. +. Stockton, United States Navy, Great
naval powers are reluctant to begin changes
that involve costly reconstruction this. with
the conversation regarding any new system
was the reason of the otherwise inconceiv-
able reluctance of the English to take mp
the project ola screw navy. When the French
built the screw line-ofbattle ship Napoleon
(1S50) the English took alarm and began
tion of their navy by the application of the
screw was well advanced in 1859, when the
French launched the iron-clad wooden frig-
ate La Gloire. Then began the decline of
unarmored battle-ships.
The first definite proposal for building an
ironclad was made in 1841 by R. L. Stevens
Armor, it is stated, was suggested by his
father, John Stevens, in 1912. An act approx
ed April 12 1916, authorized the Secretary of
the Navy to enter into contract with Ste.
vens for the construction of "a war steamer
for harbor defense, shot and she'll. proof, to
be built principally of iron The contract was
made February 10, 1s43; it called for the
following dimensions Length, not less than
$50 feet beam, not less than 40 feet; depth
amdships, 40 feet protection against shot,
Al inches of iron horse power, 900. About
this time Commodore Stockton, United
States Navy, was experimenting at Sandy
guns for the Princeton. A 224-pouud shot,
with 30.pound charge, was fired from it
against target representing the armor pro-
posed by Stevens it pierced the target and
passed through sand bank feet thick.
This stopped the construction of the IRON
clad nnti, by second construct (Noyem-
Der IA, 1s44), Stevens increased the dimen-
sOns as follows Length, 41j feet beam, As
feet; depth, 80 feet inches protection, GY
inches of iron horse power intended, S,624.
Work was begun in 1854 and when thieves
sci was about half completed the Govern
ment refused further appropriations. In
the early part of the civil war (lsG1) the
Navy Department again declined to ask Con-
gress for money, naval board having made
an adverse report.
1t was the initiative taken by the Emperor
Napoleon III which brought about a COM
plete revolution in modern naval construction
for war, as the first ironclads used in battle
were the French batteries Devastation, Lave,
and Tonnante, begun for service in the
Crimea in September 1854, two moths af-
ter the keel of the Stevens battery was laid
at Hoboken. They were all of the same di-
mensons, namely: Length, III feet inches
beam, 43 feet 1 inch draught, feet s
inches hulls, of wood armor, A. 33 inches
| tb;oiy ormaroant s;vtnap uuns of ErapoL
$50" corresponding to 6S.pounder, carried
feet II inches above water line. They
were about 1000 tons displacement, will
speed about knots an hour. They formed
part of the fleet carrying fifteen hundred
guns, which destroyed Fort Knburp, an in
ferior barbette work The ironclads eugag
ed at about 1000 yards, at which range the.
were proof against 33 pound shot with 10
pound charges. The English adopted tn,
design and built five, but they were never il
action.
In view of these successful results, tn
t French determined to build ships whicl
snOulu CunolHo VIII thei pIoIeCNlNe dIlnu
satisfactory sea-going qualities, and il
. March, 1858, the first ironcad frigate, Gloire
| was commenced at Tpulon. The construc
tion of two other wooden armored frigates-
the Inyiucble and the Normandie, Of th
same type as the Gloire-and the Couronne
q an iron vessel, was ordered The latter shi
differed from the others not Only in the ma
terials employed, but in the strength of tn
deck, which afforded protection against th,
: proiectiles then in use The Couronne wa
a especially constructed view of estat
n fishing comparison between wooden vessel
h and chose Of iron. The four higates wer
completely armored above the water lin
: with 5-inch plates resting on 96 inch WOO
0 backing. The armament at that time cor
a sisted of thirty-six 5-ton guns modnted on
G single battery, extending the whole lengt
d of the ship, feet inches above the waite
line.
1t England, where grave doubts had bee
II felt as to the utility of armor, and OF armo
IL ed ships such as France was building, wa