IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SCREW STEAMERS FOR NAVAL WARFARE
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Henry Napier, of Her Majesty's Ship Duke
of Wellington, Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, and of No. 36, South-
ampton Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SCREW STEAMERS FOR NAVAL
WARFARE."
Sealed the 1st August 1864, and dated the 8th February 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Henry Napier at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th February 1864.
I, RICHARD HENRY NAPIER, of Her Majesty's Ship Duke of Wellington,
Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, and of No. 36, Southampton Street, Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SCREW STEAMERS FOR NAVAL
WARFARE," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in constructing flat-bottomed screw steamers so that
guns of heavy calibre can be worked with a lighter draught of water than can
be otherwise conveniently attained, and for that purpose I construct such
vessels with lateral projections or bulges in their top sides, and give them a
sudden increase of beam extending for about twenty-one feet before and abaft

page_text: the centre, and terminating obliquely, to present an angular surface to cause
shot which may strike it to glance off, and I form a gun platform in the
midship part of the vessel from which a cross fire could be obtained at about
thirty feet ahead and astern, and by which the weights are thrown to or
towards the centre instead of the ends of the vessel, and I have an elliptical
roofing covered with iron or steel to protect the crew while fighting their guns
on the platform, and I work the guns on tramways that they may be the more
easily handled.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Henry Napier in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th August 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
HENRY NAPIER, of Her Majesty's Ship Duke of Wellington, Lieutenant in
the Royal Navy, and of No. 36, Southampton Street, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Richard Henry Napier, Her special licence that I, the said
Richard Henry Napier, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as 1, the said Richard Henry Napier, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SCREW STEAMERS FOR NAVAL WARFARE,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Henry Napier,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Henry Napier, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement thereof, reference being had to the illustrative Drawings
accompanying this my Specification, and forming part thereof, and to the
numeral figures and letters of reference marked thereon respectively, that is
to say :-
My Invention consists in constructing flat-bottomed screw steamers so that
guns of heavy calibre can be worked with a lighter draught of water than can
be otherwise conveniently attained, and for that purpose I construct such
vessels with lateral projections or bulges in their top sides, and give them a
sudden increase of beam extending for about twenty-one feet before and abaft
the centre, and terminating obliquely, to present an angular surface to cause
shot which may strike it to glance off, and I form a gun platform in the
midship part of the vessel from which a cross fire could be obtained at thirty
feet ahead and astern, and by which the weights are thrown to or towards
the centre instead of the ends of the vessel, and I have an elliptical roofing
covered with iron or steel to protect the crew while fighting their guns on the
platform, and I work the guns on tramways so that they may be the more
easily handled.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation or broadside view of a screw steamer
adapted for naval warfare, constructed according to my said Invention ;
Figure 2 represents a top plan or deck view of the said vessel; Figure 3
represents a stern view thereof. In each of the foregoing Figures I employ
similar letters of reference to denote corresponding parts in so far as such parts
appear or can be seen in each of such Figures respectively.
A is the midship part of the vessel; B, an elliptical shaped roofing or cupola
covered with iron or steel, and intended to protect the crew while fighting their
guns; C, C, are tramways fixed to the platform on which the guns Dare placed;
E are port holes through which the muzzles of the guns are caused to protrude
as represented at Figure 2. G is the rudder, and H the screw for propelling
the vessel, the said screw being fixed on a shaft worked by a steam engine in
the usual way. It will be seen upon referring to Figure 3 that four
guns can
be directed either ahead or astern of the vessel to be used either in pursuit or
in retreating.
My Invention relates to and consists only of those improvements and com-
binations herein-before described and not to the construction or arrangements
of other parts of the vessel.
Having described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same is or may be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim
any of the parts taken separately, but that what I claim as my Invention is

page_text: the combinations and arrangements substantially as herein-before mentioned
and described in the construction of screw steamers for naval warfare.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Henry Napier, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
RICHARD HENRY NAPIER. (L.S.)