, 1888-04-05
THE ARMORED RAM.
AN EXPERT DECLARES IT TO ea
THE COMING VESSEL.

and the Great Advantages 1t Would
War ships.
"If the limit in size has probably been
reached in the construction of tho guns
that throw u projectllc weighing u ton,
and If the limit in armor has probably
been reached in the vessels that measure
its thickness by the foot, and IL the ut
most limit of speed in the unarmorcd
cruisers with present engines is likely to
be about twenty-one knots, as you say
what will be tho next thing for govern
ments to construct for use in war ut scaPn
asked reporter who had been talking
with u naval officer about modern war
ships.
"Armored rams" he replied. "The
ram has been neglected for years In the
race for superiority between armor and
guns, but the usefulness of an armored
ram in defending port against the at
tacks of an enemy must soon attract at.
tention once more, and then we will have
q discussion on the proper model and
power to be given such vessel"
AN ERRONEOUS BELIEF. .
"It Is commonly believed that all mod
ern war vessels are built with bows con-
structed strong enough to ram an enemy"
WAS suggested.
erroneous. 1T is true that the lines of the
stems of the ships project ont to sharp
angle below the water line, and that the
plates and framing thereabouts are
stronger than in other parts OF the ship,
II one of these ships should happen to hit
bow on another one in the side II would
probably make u hole In her, but there is
every reason 10 believe that the vessel
striking would hc about as seriously dam
l.A .tH.l Ytt.Ir tt.tl. Il
II the latter were running ut full speed
when struck. The attacking vessel would
get its nose twisted of, and perhaps she
would he rolled clear over Just as the coal
schooner was that rammed the Oregon.
Neither the unnrmored cruiser nor tho
heavy armored harbor defense war ship is
adapted for n ram Tho cruiser is not strong
enough for one thing, and has not beam
enough for another. Besides, u big shell
from the enemy would destroy her before
she got gear enough to ram. The arinored
war ship is 80 big and unwiedy that she
could only hope to ram an enemy through
n piece of good luck. The shape of the
bows Of these vessels is all wrong for
ramming As / said, tho ram on them il
simply knucklc joint In the stem. A
cross section through this part of the ves-
sci would show that 1t was much better
adapted to stand a strain above or below
needs stand IA vertical strain, for in sea-
way, as she and the enemy pitched and
rolled about, the ram woUll he apt to
plunge down into the enemys side with a
meat axe stroke, but it must be remem-
bered that the enemy is sure to be In mo-
ton, probably going ahead ut full speed,
and that the side wrench that she give the
ram would be much more disastrous than
any resistance of her side plating. 1t is
difficult for q lnndsman to conceive the
awful strain which tho ram would receive
as the two vessels rolled and plunged to-
gcther in o scaway.
A RAMS PROPER FORM.
''Thc proper form for the bow OF ram
10 @ modification Of duck bill, wider than
it is deep, with stout but sharp edges ON
each side. Then AZ the enemy rushed by,
dragging tho ram along with her, the
broad nose of the ram would simply rip
the whole side out of the strongest ship
mcdc, end she'd sink like lead with her
next roll. Tho destructive force of pro-
jectile weighing ton, when moving with
an initial velocity of 1000 feet, is awful,
but the power of IL projectile weighing
5000 tons moving ut twenty-ono knots an
hour is almost infinitely greater. The
shot may miss the mark so may the ram;
but the ram Is an animated projectile that
eau try and try again.
But where would the ram DE IL the
enemys ton projectile struck itS'
Fright on its way for the enemy. A
well built ram would expose only steel
turtle back above the water This could
be made SO thick that IL would resist any
proiectilc, particularly as the prolectile
must necessarily strike it ut such an angel
as to glance Off. The ram would not be
safe from attack beyond peradyenturc,
but its chances of coming out of conflict
uniniured would be much more numerous
than those of any other form of vessel
She would have no gun turrets nor other
exposed on angular parts to stop q pro-
jcctile. A torpedo might reach her, but
the chances would be against that. De-
signed only for coast defense, the ram
would need to carry but small amount
OF coal. She would not be numbered up
with guns and their attendant machinery
AID ammunition. Her sole mission IL to
run rapidly and to turn quickly, SO as to
Keep bow on to the enemy. She would
have to be broad enough to give stability
to carry tho weight of her steel deck and
to carry powerful engines and screws. She
would be cheap to build, safe to handle,
and thoroughly effective in time of battle
We ought to begin to discuss the plans of
o now ram, 20 be built for use solely as a.
rara. New York Sun.
"a