Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-06-27
VALUE OF IR0NCLADS
LESSONS OF THE LOSS OF THE BAL
TLE-SHlP VICTORIA.
Are Armored ships so Much Better Than
Wooden Ships Letter from
General Naary.
To nc Editor OF me Dispdfch,

ties winch have befallen armored ships.
The southern Confelcracy. without o
seaport or navy. taught the maritime
nations through the exploits of the Vir-
cinia (Msrrimacj IN Hampton Roads and
of the Tennessee in Mobile Bay the power
of ironclads. Aud then she taught the
weakness Of the ironclads when torpodoe5
defend the harbor.
After these lessons II seems an infatua-
ton 70 continue the construction OF ar
mored ships, But still the great duel goes
on and with increasing disastrous results.
In seeking 10 float armor which no cannon
can penetrate the limits OF buoyancy
have long been passed, aud unless we can
substitute tor iron some material as llght
a. wood and hard "a iron We may wisely
return 10 the wooden ships.
In the course Of two hours the Hartford
received over seventy shots IN her hull
many from l0-inch and s-lnch cannon,
but still she sailed and fought with no
visible impairment of her bouyancy or
activity.
In reasonably smooth seas 1t is easy ana
quick work 10 stop shot holes II wooden
bulls. even when below the water line.
MEMORABLE L0ssEs.
Let us try md pass IN review tho memo
rable event of naval history during the
past thirty ,ars.
During tho war between the States sixty
eight Federal vessels were reported sunk
by torpedoes. The total number sunk IN
Mobile Bay Is stated at fourteen. One only
was sunk by cannon. The others were all
sunk by torpedoes. and very rude sort
of torpedoes. The bost wero beer casks
anchored by mushroom anchors. Captain
Bouteile, now an able member of Con-
gress. informed the writer that It was hls
duty. more exciting than agreeable, 10
sweep the torpedOes out Of the way; that
~ one week nine boats were sunk.
The writer saw two 60 down one day on
Appalachee bar. An officer. who after the
war raised these wrecks, said They all
had u hole IN their bottoms about feet
by 10. and all but one were sunk while
backing.
TORPEDO SERVICE.
Colonel Won Sheliha. formerly Of tho
PrusSian army, was for u cCnsiierabie
time engaged IN preparing these submarine
delcnces. After the Confederate war he
returned 10 Prussia, was upon the stan OK
Won Moltke. Gnd was charged with tho
torpedo defence of the Baltic ports. II
will he remembered tnat at that time the
French Emperor had caused an iron-ciad
fleet 10 be constructed which seemed a
terror tO oil maritime powers 1his grea;
armament attempted TO enter German
port. The leading ship was struck bv a
torpedo and so damaged that no other
attempted 10 enter. The who.c squadron
returned 20 Cherbourg. where 1t has lam
TOttlng ever since.
Prior 10 the last war between Russia anil
Turkey the TURKS bought in England an
iron-clad fleet Of great power. 1t was
commanded by one OF the most daring
British sailors then lIying. Bnt the Rus
sian torpcdoes paralyzed the whole OF its
acton. and, Ike the French, 70 retired
into safe harbor and did no harm al al
10 the enemy. A. the taking OF the Pinho
forts in China the French tOrpedoes de-
stroyed the whole Chinese fleet, lately
bought from England. The flagship Was
literally blown TO pieces and not soul
escaped.
Armor has provided no defence against
torpedoes. The heavier the plating the
swlfter the destruction.
In truth, the history Of the heavily
ironed ships has been very calamltOus
and more destructive - their own people
than TO the enemy.
THE MERRIMAC.
The Virginia lMerrimac) did grea; dam
age to a hostile feet. J he Monitor. after
escaping from her by running into shoal
water, made no other hostile effort and
won't down OF Hatteras in gale of wind.
Her captain. BGnkhea1, and part of her
crew escaped III boats - the steamer sent
along to tow her and rescue the crow as
she did
In Charleston harbor the iron-clads
Jared badly.
The great Ironsidss was struck and disa-
lled by Lieutenant Glassel. the kcokuk
was sunk by the guns OF Fort Sumter, and
the gallant lieutenant Dixon. Of the
Iwenty-frst Alabama, sunk with his
torpedo boat David the fine new corvette
Housatonic.
IROS-CIkDS THAT WENT down.
But it Is not alone in war these ships
have been so unfortunate. The dreadful
catastrophe of the Captain. about twenty
years ago, was signal but UNDECIDED
warning.
That ship was the boast Of tho British
navy. The iron.clad feet, built with
great energy 20 eclipse. If possible. that OF
France. was cruising of tho British Chan
mel. The wind was freshening. The order
TO shorten sail was signalled by the Adj
mrel, but too late for the lucklesS Cap
tain. She careened, capslzed. and went
down, carrying near SIX hundred officers
and men. She went down bottom up and
full of air like diving bell, SO that
many of those unfortunate men may have
lived many hours in full consciousness Of
their hopeless condition. Amongst them
We're Captain Cowper Coles. the pride of
the English navy, and other officers OF
high culture. No doubt they wrote and
securely enclosed the memoranda of those
fearful hours, believing that in the pro-
gress OF science means would be found of
reaching their tomb and developing its
dread secrets.
Captain Burgoyne and eighteen men
who were upon deck succeeded IN getting
into drifting boats. The Captain was
crushed between then and drowned. Not
long after tue Vanguard went down with
all hands. and the Iron Duke by chance
escaped the same fate.
Then the Grooser Kerfurt went down
with over 400 men and officers, of whom
not one escaped.
SECRETARY g<yRBERT.
The destruction OF the Victoria is the
last of the impressive lessons this I'M
natural naval architecture gives Us. We
have been fortunate in havinga succession
of chiefs of our Nay Department, who
have been, as the word goes. abreast of
the times" The present Secretary. Her
bert, IL, at least, equal to any of his prede-
cessors, and under him our pride and
honor will know no abatement. He has
accomplished already all that his long
training and study on the Naval Commit
tee has so we'll prepared him for and pre-
pared us TO expect from him.
He has greatly grstitied the nation by
his fine management of the great naval
pageants, In which our sailors showed the
maritime powers their pluck and skill.
RECENT EXPERIENCE.
We have had more recent experience in
wars than our great ancestors. There IL
not no living in the English navy an Off
Ger who was ever in battle with civilized
people. We don't count Admiral Sey-
mour's bombardment and destruction OF
the most interesting and most helpless city
in the world. a naval combat which should
cause no pride in those who were present or
give them any valuable experience when
ever they shall have to deal with such men
as those who fought under Buchanan or
under Farragut.
Admiral Seymour was made O peer for
that days target practice
His reason for the cruel act was that the
Egyptians were erecting Notifications
which might do some harm TO his fleet
and as he was responsible to his mistress for
the safety of that fleet il was his duty