The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-23

lowed them up the river, and the side
wheel frigate Mississippi was sent with
orders to run her down at full speed.
The Manassas avoided the blow but in do
ing so was forced ashore, where she was
burned and blown up. The design of
these ships originated with the Virginia
This ship, originally the steam frigate
Merrimac, burned to the waters edge at
the destruction of the Norfolk
navy ward, was rebuilt as the
ironclad Virginia, a east iron prov was
added and strong central caSemate
constructed, the faces all inclining in
ward and protected by railroad and other
iron. In the first days engagement she
struck the Cumberland at a speed of per
haps seven or eight knots TO the ofti-
GERS on the Cumberland it seemed as II
tina whole side was smashed in, while by
those on the ram the shock was hardly
felt. The success of this one blow caused
the ram to become the favorite weapon
of the confederate officers, and the fact
that the protected slOping sides turned
the shot of the union guns, caused the
central inclined Casemate to be adopted
by English as we'll as the confederate
shipbuilders.
From the close of the civil war 20 the
present time but one battle has been
fought in which the ram has been used
Admiral Persano attacked the Austrian
fleet under Admiral Tcgethof.
The Italian admiral undoubtedly eX-
pected an easy victory. In guns he was
greatly superior, and in number of ships
and men about equal, Each side had
ironclads, the Italians one or two the
most. There were from twenty-five to
thirty steamers on each side. Inc
Italians seem to have largely relied on
,nlo faff fag a
and the Re di Portugal, built by Webb in
New York. They had also a three tur-
reted monitor of the Coles system. one
of the two irOnclad frigates was Persano's
flagship. The Austrians had no ships
that were equal to the two large Italians.
They had five or six ironclads. The Fer
dinand Max was plated with from four to
four and three-fourth inches of iron.
The batale began with cannOnade, but
the Austriaps, whose batteries were in
ferior, closed in as rapidly as possible,
and under cover of the smoke began to
use their ships as rams. Several OF the
Italians were sunk The Drachke rammed
the italian turret ship and inflicted
wound which sent her out of action. She
succeeded in reaching Ancona ana sank
at the harDOr's mouth
But the most remarkable feat was per-
formed by the old Kaiser Max, which
vessel rammed no less than five of the
Italians and sank the ir0n-clad trigate
which bore Persanos flag. The Austrian
officers spoke Of this event in the most
thrilling language. The great overriding
ing how of the line Of battleship was
thrown across the iron-clad, bearing her
down by the pressure, and sinking her
Immediately. OF her crew Of 700 most
were drowned The Kaiser Max, light
er vessel, was not seriously hurt. This
was the greatest naval combat since the
introduction Of steam, but we know that
the Austrians obtained the victory by the
ram, and Chat the Italians fought with
their batteries only.
Many rams have been designed be-
tween the years Of 1866 and 1893; but all,
until the Katahdin were either rams and
gunboats or rams and torpedo boats. IL
remained for Admiral Ammen. u. $. N,
to design a vessel which should be ram
and nothing but ram.
From this brief history certain deduc-
tions can be made. Perhaps the fact
most clearly shown is that two rams act
inc in concert are more than match for
any one ship, even if she be far superior
to either Of the two. This is demOnstrat-
ed bv the sinking Of the Indianola by the
William H. Webb and the Queen Of the
West, the remarkable success Of the two
Elicit rams in fighting the eight confed-
crate rams, June q, 1862, and by the sink
ing of the Varuna by the Governor Moore
and the Stonewal jackson.