The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-22

and Eerthsmrton we're Constructed with
but partial armor. Then came such
vessels ss the Imperisuse. the War
spite. Ajax. ARamsmnon, Colossus. Edin-
burRh. and the elk ships OF the Admiral
class. Lord Brassey has said Of the Ajax and
ARamemnon that their central armored clta-
dels we're mot Of suficient displacement to
secure the stability Of the ships should the un-
armored end be destroyed" Sir F. J. Reed
has pointed ont as defects Of the Admiral class
that they are in great danger OF capsizing II
ever engaged In serious battle at close quar-
tera The trouble. he SAYS. IL in the eombi-
nation OF long unarmored ends. com prisinG
about forty-hye per cent. OF the water line
area, with 90 shallow a belt Of srmor that when
the Sea tss they xouid Be IN action there
would remain so little armor lett above the
would put It ali below water. In the ARsmem-
non class. small as the initial stability may be
soS be no,snn Inn stoT Is carried np to
reasonable height above the water. hut in the
Admiral class all the advantage arising from a
stToysd BY this lowering Of the aTmor."
quoted. i to have OS made a total aiandonmsnt
S;tlyd sb.n S P Pste S.is st
In doing so. however she has had q distinct
enormous i speed and enormous battery power.
The Italia and her successors are examples SOL OF
u and tho even IN the
IT may seem strange that when the stability
q the Magenta, which has the usual complete
a moment should be chosen by some critics
for urging the abandonment of compets
and Italian IDEAS. This is the. more singular
since when the Brennus was begun 1t is said
spm neyG A. he emu AMI AFTER long delay the
ends were armored. though not as heavily as
sns @ Sesn ssS .n,
mentioned. were laid down. instead OF leaving
about 100 feet Of length at each end without
Rrmor. only about 60 feet wero 40 LETT But the
truth IN the matter seems TO be that the ques-
ton Of huoyancy aud stability, In its relation
m sthematicai caiculstion. And nothing is
clearer or more capable of demonstration than
un una o TSi and riddled By an enemy's IRE
without destroying the stability Of the ship
os Of a ONE w'n me
great protection secured in modern vessels by
heavy curved; protective steel decks. slonInE
tor line. and extending to stem and stern so
as to secure safety at the ends. To this may
belt OF Understanding material. like cellu-
lose. Tho other element is q careful Gatcula-
refs and guns, In relation to stability. tho i'm
portance Of which has been shown by great
In our. throe 10. 2ss.ton battle ships. the In
diana, Massachusetts. and Oregon. the water
line belt 10 not complete. as IN the french SIS,
tenn, but extends along about three-fourthS OF
the ship. turning in forward and aft. and
sweeptng around the base Of the redoubts:
Nevettheless. II mas oeen oincinIv ueclareu
decks OF one OF these vessels could be shot
away without endanRerinR her safety. The
protective deck extends OF course. CON rlete-
~ through the vessel and its thickness 10.
yond the end OF the armor belt makes every
thing secure there The fact that tho holt IS
not continued TO the stem and stern allows II
to have a remarkable thickness In the VII al
Darta of thA RhIp and ALSO Dormits great
lection for the guns. In tho Iowa. however.
an addition OF about % per cent Ia given to
the water-lins belt 1t will be q matter OF in
terest for our navy TO note tho conclusions
reached By thu French on this subject.