Year: 1860

ous Of whitehall No sooner had your notices appear.
ed than there was running and rushng to ard ro at
Whitehall and now If by magic the world is told that
another plated vessel is ordered TO be laid down
1t Is to be 400 feet long, and calculated carry an
mamen Of surprisingly destructive power &c. II am
correctly informed this vessel Is to embrace all the de-
fecs well as the advantages Of the former ronpaed
vessesthA Is to say OF the Black Proce and Wa ror
class The vessel H. 10 point Of fact 10 be nearly
the exact copy prior forms. To be precise let
dicate the nature Of these defects promising that the
question Of the routine Of the attack and defence Of these
kind Of vessels has been ably discussed in your col
that further comment at my hands is unnecessary


Permit TO specfy certain grave defects Of construc
ton in ron-clad ships hitherto made-defects which
It is the recent intention cf the Admiralty repeat 10
the build Of the next vessel.


All the iron plates hitherto employed in defending the
sides Of ships have been secured in position by series
OF bolts and nuts fitting into corresponding peroratons
drilled through the iron plates well the wooden
iron hull of the ship itself. Some of the bolts are as
much 90 TO 23 inches long by inches in diametcr,
and have either square c0nics head end and
double nuts at the other. On the impact Of the shot
be il either Of the 6spounder round any oi the vlr
ons kinds Of elongated proectes-if the plate, in
large number Of instances be not perforated the bolts
driven iDboard with very destructive effect Having
myself been present many of these trials can testify
the grave OF the casualties TO be apprehended
unes the proper steps be taken TO remedy this defect


At this particular s,age, wish to point out 10 what





bear for the national advantage


As soon this defect was duly acertaned aud acknow
led by the authorities thinking devising means
to overcome the evil To my own knowledge plans
submitted in the latter part Of las; year Admiralty
Board plans which, ia the opinion of the Board com
peiey obviaed the grave defects before mentioned OF
my knowledge, too can state that the only reason
urged why the ships then building should not be
slruced was that the contracts embracing old principles
already made and that my Lords could not then in
terere with the execution Of such contracts without great
inconvenience to the public service. However difficult il
may be for the public to credit the announcement is
still fact that notwithstanding the approval of the new
plan by the Admiralty, and the evidence Of their
committee, the old systemis about to be repeated


The defects Of the present method Of fixing iron pl
ting these |. When struck by shot, the bolts are
either driven inboard broken the plates crack
cd from boe to hole, IL the plate struck be not broken
it euls up at the aud odgss. l. In a scaway il
is next to impossible from the vast number of boholea
ptssing through the hull and plates to keep the vessel
wateTgh In spite Of every precaution caulsing docs
not perfectly keep out the water, and in anything like
heavy weather the vessel leaks like n sieve.


have tue honor TO b., Sir,


Your very obedient servant


London, Oct s. PIONEER.