IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VESSELS OF WAR
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Cecil Percival Stone at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th July 1868.
I, CECIL PERCIVAL STONE, of Gloucester Street, Dorset Square, in the
County of Middlesex, Lieutenant H. M. 77th Regt., do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF VESSELS OF WAR," to be as follows:-
The object of my improvements is to develop the fighting capabilities
of a vessel of war by providing a means of rapidly sinking the greater
portion of the hull usually above the water line so as to present less
surface to attack, and also by giving additional protection to the upper
or fighting deck.
I propose, firstly, to cut the vessel down to her ordinary load line and
invest her, if she has not them already, with an inner and outer sheathing,
all the space between the inner and outer skin being intended for
condensed air.
I also propose dividing the length of the vessel into sundry equidistant
water-tight and air-tight compartments, each compartment being in-
fluenced either separately or together by an air pump or pumps for

page_text: filling them with air. After leaving space for storage of stores, for
engines, boilers, and coal bunks, shot and shell rooms, magazine, &c. &c.
I propose to place a series of cylindrical or polygonal cisterns in con-
tiguity and equilibrating the ship's centre of gravity, the spaces between
the cisterns to be in communication with the space between the skins
or air chambers. These cisterns are for the reception of water derivable
outside the vessel in order to sink the ship within certain limits.
Within each cistern will be fitted a water-tight metal plug or piston
drum head freely moveable up and down to adequate pressure, each
cistern possessing a separate top of metal perforated for a short tube
fitted with a stop-cock or valve, and placed directly over the centre
of gravity of the piston plug, so that on the opening of the stop-
cock or valve a current of condensed air can be directed downwards
upon the piston plug, causing it to descend with greater or less
rapidity according to the pressure of air or amount admitted, and
pressing out the contained water from the cylinder or cistern. The
water will be admitted into each cistern by a sluice valve, which valve
can be regulated by a connecting rod with the ship's engine by a
handle communicating with one of the ship's decks or otherwise, and
all these cisterns will be made to act either singly or in groups or
altogether at option; certain of these cisterns also can be made to hold
cargo or stores when not required for immediate use.
The method for the inlet and outlet of water having been thus
described whereby the vessel is made to sink at will by the weight of
water admitted and to rise again on its expulsion, I now proceed to
describe the further construction of the vessel. From the load line,
which will be situate somewhat in a horizontal line with the orlop or
lower deck, I propose to make the ship's sides converging or receding
inwards at an angle more or less acute according to circumstances up
to her main or gun deck in order to lessen displacement, this being
the space through which she is to sink when going into action. As
this lower deck will not be required for fighting purposes I propose
to occupy it partly with cabin space and partly with store and hammock
space, leaving room to work the ship's turrets around which are capstans.
I then arch over the main or gun deck with a deck which under
ordinary circumstances would be the spar deck. In a vessel of the
"Warrior" class this deck I propose to construct of wrought iron, say,
8 inches at the crown, the better to resist vertical fire, thinning out to

page_text: 5 inches towards the sides, and add an extra plate of iron at the spring
of the arch about 4 inches thick and made so as to overlap the receding
wooden sides about 18 inches downwards. Over this arch at an interval
of about 3 feet I propose to construct a light wooden deck, which
will be virtually the ship's spar deck to work her by, and the whole
available intervening space between the iron deck and this deck will
be filled with thick closely coiled hempen cable to act as a fender
against shot. This deck will carry turrets upon the "Cole" or other
principle to fight her by, and should it be found expedient her iron
deck may be pierced with re-entering ports for guns.