Im- PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GUN BOATS FOR COAST AND HARBOUR DEFENCE.
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ralph Dawson, of Wembury House, near
Plymouth, in the County of Devon, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GUN BOATS FOR COAST AND HARBOUR
DEFENCE.'
Sealed the 9th April 1869, and dated the 13th October 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ralph Dawson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th October 1868.
I, RALPH DAWSON, of Wembury House, near Plymouth, in the
County of Devon, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GUN BOATS FOR COAST AND HARBOUR
DEFENCE," to be as follows:-
The novelty of this Invention consists in constructing gun boats of
two separate floating bodies of the same size and shape, and in con-
necting them together at a suitable distance asunder, and in forming a
cupola of the entire width of the two aforesaid parts at the midship
section thereof, and in fitting the guns, steering wheel, capstan, and

page_text: propeller all within the cupola, so that the whole working and fighting
of the gun boat can be effected within the cupola, and the whole view of
the horizon be commanded.
The following is an example of the mode of constructing gun boats
according to this Invention:-The boat is formed of two vessels of equal
proportions in length, breadth, and depth firmly secured together twelve
feet apart with iron beams and paddle wheel or other propeller in the
centre; each vessel has two bows, that is, each end is formed alike with
a rudder at each end in the deadwood within the stern post, say two
rudders to each vessel (in all four rudders), the vessel propelled either
way with equal facility without having to turn; the aforesaid vessels are
each one hundred and fifty-five feet long, thirty-six feet beam, and
twenty feet depth of hold. Two engines (one in each vessel) of two
hundred horse-power, each to turn a paddle wheel twenty-eight feet
diameter. The vessels are covered with iron and surmounted by one
cupola one hundred feet long by eighty-four feet wide, within which is
mounted eight 12 ton guns, but there would be plenty of space for
twelve of the heaviest guns (say 20 tons each); the paddle is in the
centre of the cupola, and on the upper deck on each side of the paddle
box are two pilot or look-out houses. Iron cased within the cupola on
the gun deck are the two steering wheels (which are novel in their way
as they have to perform double duty) connected with the four rudders,
the tiller ropes leading from two rudders to one wheel, and so at the
other end, all within the cupola; two capstans for heaving up the anchors
also within the cupola. The cupola is of an oval shape, embracing the
whole of the midship section of the two vessels and also the twelve feet
space between. It is eight feet high between decks, and the upper deck
of the cupola protected by a light bulwark. Four boats may be hung
from davits upon each inner bow. When in sea-going trim she will
draw sixteen feet water, steam ten knots, and have seven feet side out
of water, and the cupola eight feet above that, all ironclad. I also
purpose introducing pipes all round the inside of the cupola, every six
feet connected with the boilers in each vessel, so that in case of the
enemy boarding and getting possession of the cupola the crew could
retire to below the battery deck, turn a tap, and fill the battery with
scalding steam.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ralph Dawson, in, the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 13th April 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RALPH
DAWSON, of Wembury House, near Plymouth, in the County of Devon,.
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Ralph Dawson, Her special
licence that I, the said Ralph Dawson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Ralph Dawson, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GUN BOATS FOR COAST AND HARBOUR DEFENCE,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Ralph Dawson,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Ralph Dawson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, that is to say :-
This Invention consists in constructing gun boats of two separate
floating bodies of the same size and shape, and in connecting them
together at a suitable distance asunder, and in forming a cupola of the
entire width of the two aforesaid parts at the midship section thereof,
and in fitting the guns, steering wheel, capstan, and propeller all within
the cupola, so that the whole working and fighting of the gun boat
can be effected within the cupola, and the whole view of the horizon
be commanded.

page_text: The following is an example of the mode of constructing gun boats
according to this Invention :-The boat is formed of two vessels of
equal proportions in length, breadth, and depth firmly secured together
twelve feet apart, with iron beams and paddle wheel or other propeller
in the centre; each vessel has two bows, that is, each end is formed
alike with a rudder at each end in the dead wood within the stern post,
say two rudders to each vessel (in all four rudders), the vessel may be
propelled either way with equal facility without having to turn. The
aforesaid vessels are each one hundred and fifty-five feet long, thirty-
six feet beam, and twenty feet depth of hold; two engines (one in each
vessel) of two hundred horse-power each to turn a paddle wheel twenty-
eight feet diameter. The vessels are covered with iron and surmounted
by one cupola one hundred feet long by eighty-four feet wide, within
which is mounted eight 12 ton guns, but there would be plenty of
space for twelve of the heaviest guns (say 20 tons each). The paddle is
in the centre of the cupola, and on the upper deck on each side of the
paddle box are two pilot or look-out houses, iron cased, within the cupola.
On the gun deck are the two steering wheels (which are novel in their
way as they have to perform double duty) connected with the four
rudders, the tiller ropes leading from two rudders to one wheel, and so
at the other end, all within the cupola; two capstans for heaving up the
anchors also within the cupola. The cupola is of an oval shape,
embracing the whole of the midship section of the two vessels and also
the twelve-feet space between. It is eight feet high between decks,
and the upper deck of the cupola protected by a light bulwark. Four
boats may be hung from davits upon each inner bow. When in sea
going trim she will draw sixteen feet water, steam ten knots, and have
seven feet side out of water, and the cupola eight feet above that, all
ironclad. I also purpose introducing pipes all round the inside of the
cupola every six feet connected with the boilers in each vessel, so that
in case of the enemy boarding and getting possession of the cupola the
crew could retire to below the battery deck, turn a tap, and fill the
battery with scalding steam,
And in order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible
I now proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for
carrying the same into practical effect, reference being had to the
illustrative Sheet of Drawings accompanying these Presents, and to
the numeral figures and letters of reference marked thereon, as
follows:-

page_text: Figure 1 represents a top plan view of a gun boat constructed.
according to my said Invention, the cupola of the boat being removed,
as shewn at Figure 2, which is a top plan view of the said cupola ;
Figure 3 represents a longitudinal and vertical section taken through
the line A, B, at Figure 1, the cupola being shewn applied to the boat;
Figure 4 shews the position of the guns at, the sides of the boat. At
each of the foregoing Figures similar letters of reference are employed to
denote corresponding parts wherever they appear or can be seen at each
of such said Figures.
The boat is formed of two vessels A, A, of equal proportions in
length, breadth, and depth, firmly secured together twelve feet apart
with iron beams, and paddle wheel B or other propeller in the centre.
Each vessel has two bows, that is, each end is formed alike with a rudder
at each end in the dead wood within the stern post, say two rudders to
each vessel (in all four rudders), the vessel may be propelled either way
with equal facility without having to turn. The aforesaid vessels are
each one hundred and fifty-five feet long, thirty-six feet beam, and
twenty feet depth of hold. There are two engines (one in each vessel)
of two hundred horse-power, each to turn a paddle wheel twenty-eight
feet diameter. The vessels are covered with iron and surmounted by
one cupola C one hundred feet long by eighty-four feet wide, within
which is mounted twelve 12 ton guns D, but there would be plenty of
space for twelve of the heaviest guns (say 20 tons each). The paddle B
is in the centre of the cupola, and on the upper deck on each side of the
paddle box are two pilot or look-out houses E, E. Iron cased within
the cupola on the gun deck are the two steering wheels G, G, connected
with the four rudders, the tiller ropes leading from two rudders to one
wheel, and so at the other end, all within the cupola; two capstans H, H,
for heaving up the anchors are also placed within the cupola. The
cupola is of an oval shape, embracing the whole of the midship section
of the two vessels and also the twelve feet space between. It is eight
feet high between decks, and the upper deck of the cupola is protected
by a light bulwark. Four boats I, I, may be hung from davits K upon
each inner bow. When in sea-going trim she will draw sixteen feet
water, steam ten knots an hour, and have seven feet side out of water,
and the cupola eight feet above that, all ironclad.
arrange pipes L, L, all round the inside of the cupola connected with
I also propose to

page_text: the boilers for filling the cupola with scalding steam or water in the
event of the enemy getting possession of the cupola. M are funnels
from the boiler furnaces.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of
my said Invention for "Improvements in the Construction of Gun
Boats for Coast and Harbour Defence," together with the best means
I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I
would remark in conclusion that I hereby declare my Invention to.
consist in and I claim, the general arrangement and combination of
parts above described with reference to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings in the construction of gun boats for the purposes above
stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ralph Dawson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
RALPH DAWSON. (L.S.)