, 1888-04-19
THE ARMORED RAM,
AN EXPERT DECLARES jT TO ne
TIE COMING VESSEL.


and the Crcat Advantages 1t would
Possess Over other Kinds OF Plated
War Ships.
the limit in size has probably been
reaSncu III the. construction of the guns
that throw proJcctilc weighing ton,
been reached in the vessels that measure
It's thickness by the foot, and IL the ut.
most limit of speed in the unarmorcd
cruisers with present engines Is likely to
oe ABOUT twehty-one Knots, Gs you say,
What Will nc the next thing for Coyern.
mcnts TO construct for use in war at senS"
asked reporter who had been talking
with naval officer about modern war
ships.
"Armored rams" he replied. "Thc
ram has been neglected for years In tho
race for superiority between armor and
guns, but the usefulness of an arrnorcd
ram in defending port against the ut.
ticks of an enemy must soon attract ut
tention once more, and then we will have
n discussion on the proper model and
power to be given such vessel"
AN ERRONEOUS BELIEF.
ut fs commonly believed that all mod
ern war vessels are built with bows con-
structed strong enough to ram an enemy"
was suggested.
"Yes, but the belief Is for the most part
erroneous IL Is true tlnt the lines of the
stems OF the ships project out to sharp
anglo below the water line, and that tho
plates and framing thcrcabouts are
stronger than In other parts of the ship.
IT one Of these ships should happen to hit
bow ON another one in the side it wonld
probably make II hole in her, but there is
every reason to believe that the vessel
striking would he about rs seriously dam.
aged as the vessel struck, particularly
If the latter were running at full speed
when struck. The attacking vessel would
get it3 nose twisted Off, and perhaps she
would bc rolled clear over just as the coal
schooner was that rammed the Oregon.
Neither the unarmored cruiser nor tho
heavy armored harbor defense war ship Is
adapted for 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 armored
war ship is so big and unwleldy that she
could only hope to ram an enemy through
piece of good luck. The shape of the
bows OF these vessels is all wrong for
ramming. As said, the ram ON them IL
simply knuckle joint in the stem. A
cross section through this part of the ves-
sci would show that it was much better
adapted to stand a strain above or below
than from either side. Now a ram must
needs stand n vertical strain for in u sea-
way, as she and the enemy pitched and
rolled about, the ram woull he apt to
plunge down into the enemy'S side with
meat axe stroke, but it must be remem-
bered that the enemy is sure to be in mo-
ton, probably going ahead at full speed,
and that the side wrench that she give the
ram would be much more disastrous than
any resistance of her side plating. II Is
difficult for u landsman to conceive the
awful strain which tho ram would receive
as the two vessels rolled and plunged to-
gether in o. scaway.
IA RAMS PROPER FORM.
"Thc proper form for the bow of a ram.
70 q modification of duck bill, wider than
1t is deep, with stout but sharp edges ON
each side. Then as the enemy rushed by,
dragging the ram along with her, the
broad nose of the ram would simply rip
the whole side out of the strongest ship
made, and she'd sink like lead with her
next roll. Tho destructive force of q pro-
jectile weighing ton, when moving with
nm initial velocity of 1000 feet, Is awful,
but the power of u projectile weighing
!, 200 tons moving at twenty-onc knots an
hour is almost infinitely greater. The
Shoo siitty ihiS' 'hO iiti N, oo may
but tho ram is an animated projectile that
can try and try again"
But where would the ram be IL the
enemys ton projectile struck it?''
Fright on its way for the enemy. A
well built ram would expose only n steel
turtle back above the water. This could
be made so thick that il would resist any
particularly as tho projectile
must necessarily strike it at such an angel
rs to glance Off. The ram would not be
safe from attack beyond peradyenture,
but its chances Of coming out of u conflist
uninjured would be much more numerous
than those of any other form of vessel.
She would have no gun turrets nor other
exposed or angular parts to stop pro-
jectile. A torpedo might reach her, but
tho 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 he numbered up
with guns and their attendant machinery
and ammunition. Her sole mission is to
run rapidly and to turn quickly, SO as to
keep bow on to the enemy. She would
have 10 bc broad enough to give stability
70 carry the weight of her steel deck and
20 carry powerful engines and screws. She
would be cheap to build, safe To handle,
md thoroughly effective in time OF battle
We ought to begin to discuss the plans OF
; new ram, 70 be built for use solely as
am. New York Sun.