PROPOSED NEW IRONCLADS.

Press, Volume IV, Issue 486, 20 May 1864, Page 3

PROPOSED NEW IRONCLADS.

Hμ Timet of Feb. 1 has the following interesting BWlllt of ***• new i* 0001, " 1 vara| hip9 built according tetfce designs of Mr. Keed, with a notice also of those OHtaaded in the French doetyarde :— Theuah Mr. Beed has concentrated all hie efforts Miami constructor on his special vessels, the BelißMfton and Pallas, and on hie improvements on the JmFOak class of heavy armour-frigates, as exemplilid ia the power and dimensions of the Lord Warden ■ ad the Lord Clyde, yet these four are by no means - flu most original of his designs. For the most part, * - ftff arc only great improvements or developments of ' iplnt idea* of armour-ships. The developments - *tfnat| the improvements we are willing to admit ■t of essential importance ; but the germ of the MM on which they are founded existed in all our "•Wjyaideand in most of our private yards too. Any - °pinHflnn can now design and build a frigate of the Warrior class, and we know from the experience of the a t Chatham that private firms can build ,-Cmmi very much more quickly than Governmmt yards, which are only beginning their ap- . ttsalmship at iron ship-building. But what no - Mnate yard offered to do, and what it was mwiht almost impossible to accomplish, is that fhttlfr. Beed has actually performed in building /'VjritMtiagwith 4}-inch armour wooden sloops no '% fifirftan the collier barks which crowd the pool The difficulty thus overcome imill lilialrii than it seems, as a few words "^-ißieir. , As soon as the necessity for armour* was admitted in England after the launch of La .V QMn, ** was evident that a certain height of plating, 4, fjqpg from 16ft to 21ft, would be necessary in .-. mmtdiSMS of vessels, and that iftlu's protection was J'tetrini the whole length of the hull, then sea- .- muliiiim and swiftness could only be secured in leash of the very largest description. But, by -,' dartsaiaf the battery and confining the guns to the omtatoftheship, the extraordinary weights and di- ' japiMHOoald be reduced, afld such ease given to t*imm and stem as would add greatly to the buoy- - jiry of the whole hull. As these ships, however, - - WaUhavt to endure heavy weather, and, in case of _-. W, my heavy fighting too, it was necessary to con\iisisf what their condition would be with their ' • dajhtad ends waterlogged, and to make the length of »- mt jntaeted part in the centre sufficient to bearuip - *ss»se and stern when their own buoyancy was de»tfn*id. Upon this principle the Warrior, Black JmkßvDemwe, and Resistance, were designed ; but , mt two latter, though more than double the tonnage -jaf Sebon's Victory, were found to bo the smallest I&eft would satisfy these conditions. If, therefore, vessels were to receive the protecymrmTimn. armour, it was evident that even the putial v it was, must be given up. The "f.-lPLwall ftqnind for the safety of the guns and -•♦■•em muefcbe reduced in length, and the safety J --*|frs lower part of the hull near the water line far by a simple armour—belt from five feet wide, so disposed as to protect the all beneath it, the high or gun wall s~*yfcaHeiy being shortened by only containing the of guns, but all of the very heaviest igJMjjwJMed in war. The attempt to fulfil all these , * conditions has been made by Mr. Reed ** Interprise, the smallest class of sea-going . war, the sloop which is to be plated with armour as that which covers the Warrior— '^■L** ,, ""* which will be launched early /^*J* I *>th»ieof only 950 tons builders' measurement, to carry seventeen 32-pounder ~ *hk number of guns was at once reduced to lh * n>? o^ r of the crew from 165 to 100. g?W reduction in the number of guns does not -§2!!?JJ , ?'' ,,, P'j r • reduction in the weight of metal I • bfoadside, as the guns will be very much ;]m£& The guns actually to be mounted in this 110-pounders, throwing a broadside of 220 -fSiSSL c ,,, * , ma J csrried which would equal IgSJJJPjk of metal thrown the original broadside of llS^illv^y ll I" 0 " sloop, and would, of course, be in their action. Bnt in thus JspS**"***! a> small seventeen gun wooden sloop ||jp**pir-gim iron-eased sloop, a sacrifice of speed wei S nfc °f propelling machinery 3i2L2*? ce * **enty-five tons, while the ship to be increased 200 tons. The speed lost * knot to a knot - Tl } e e P eed of nnj^. Bteam Qne wil j it I, j IO p e( i jo* o* a little over 101 miles to secure seaworthiness for this little , mo>t desirable to keep the extremities JcgLyr l0 ?* The concentration of the battery *»ne much towards this end. Still furit special bow and stern chase guns ***"» arrangement* were made * UIU from the Pγ 01 * 0 battery in the rendered capable of firing within 12 it** cooree of tne veMel « *° t]i ahead ? nd •'^5 : £ZT "after the circumstances it "became possible ? *9 e amount of material in the frame and %sSidK* , ? ,, of etTUct uro of the ship before -"^^S-?* I.w1 .webnttery. The reduction thus affected >^lJj3 l J^'Wieved, render the ship lively in a seaway obeying her helm. So far as tho pren P'* oll >• concerned, the hull of the ship *. i yf%fa**** g been constructed entirely of wood, as that recently launched at Pembroke, ** Ut waß decided that unwalled i:'2Sp& * **• Enterprise above the waterline should

be built of iron. The introduction of iron into the hull of a wooden craft gave a still furthc- opportunity for lightening the ship, as steel will do in ships of iron. It rendered it possible to leave the space between decks forward and aft unplated, as the materials of construction were of course incombustible. Instead, therefore, of carrying up the iron wall or belt to the roof of this space, it was only necessary to carry it to its floor, care being taken to lift the floor well above the water-line. This arrangement brings the roofs of the fore and aft 'tween deck spaces above the floor of the battery, or the gun platform. They are, in fact, just so much above the gun platform as will allow the chase guns to fire over them clearly and well. In respect, therefore, to tlve arrangements of the decks the Research and Enterprise differ. The difference affects very sensibly the amount of armour required for the vessel. In the Research for every 100 tons of material in the hull 40 tons of armour are required, while in the Enterprise there are only 25 tons.

On this account the Research requires and has a heavier Jfirame, and is, with, only the same powers of oflence and defence, a larger and mu;h more costly ship. Since, also, the greater part of the extra weight of armour in the Research lies towards the extremities of the ship, she will be les3 lively and handy than the Enterprise, and the fact that the 'tween deck space is left uncased in this latter ship gives her a further advantage over the Research in lighting and ventilating the space.

The set-off to these many manifest advantages is tlie novel and untried, and, therefore, to a certain extent, somewhat doubtful nature of the connexion between the upper and lower hulls, and the almost dangerous nearness of the lower part of the unprotected ship 10 the water-line. Neither of these point*, however, involves the safety of the ship, or her warliko efficiency, and should trouble arise from either cause, which there is no great reason at present to anticipate, it will be confined to temporary personal inconvenience to the crew on the berthing deck.

In order to complete the description of the powers of offence and defence possessed by the ship, it is necessarj to state that the shot-proof bulkheads crossing the deck, and extending from the water-line to the right of the battery, are loopholed for musketry, both over the upper deck and between decks, so that should the vessel be boarded the boarders can effect a lodgment in no part of the ship outside the battery, either on deck or below, without being exposed to cons hint fire from within the battery. During action the 'tween decks, which will be the ordinary berthing place for men and officers, will be quite deserted, the whole of them being within the walls, cither in the battery, or immediately below it, under the armour belt. For the purpose of bringing the whole of the lower part of the ship into communication with the battery when in action, and to secure perfect ventilation, a wide central passage runs entirely through the ship below the lower deck, and, as all the hatchways on this deck are closed in during action, large ventilating hoods are fitted for down draughts at, both extremities through the deck, and a current of air is established by the furnaces and by Schiele's blast-fan, the space round the funnel forming a double upcast shaft.

The central passage commences forward, at the fore platform, and, passing between store-rooms on either side for sails, provisions, water, chain, and coals, opens into the stokehold. Between the stokehold and the engine-room, and immediately below the battery, are the magazine and shell-room. The passage is continued between these through the engine-room onwards, both above and below the roofs of the shaft alley, to the extreme after end of the ship, all the storerooms both forwar J and aft communicating with it. In some cases, as in the provision and water spaces forward, the ordinary bulkheads are dispensed with altogether, and stanchions are substituted, and where this arrangement was undesirable, iron gratings are made in the upper part of the partition.

In order still further to provide for efficient ventilation, and particularly with a view to the preservation of the frame of the ship, a passago is left along the wings on each side and beneath the flooring of the several divisions. There is thus scarcely a foot of the frame of the ship vrhioh v not in direct communication with the central passage, and acted upon either by the draught of the furnaces or by the Schiele's fan. Directly below the battery, and over the magazine and shell room, is a large platform to be used as a cockpit, communicating by a covered passage through the engine-room with an after cockpit and dispensary.

The dimensions of this miniature ironclad are only 180 ft. long by 36ft. wide, her engines are to be of 160----horse power, and her speed is estimated at nine knots. Though an experimental vessel, the success of the Enterprise has been secured by the admirable seagoing performance of the Research, another ■hip of much the same class, only 200 tons larger, which made a successful passage round from Milford to the Thames. Tliis little corvette carries fire inches of armour, and in the run round to the river, though the weather was very rough, •he often steamed 10} knots, rolled easily and not deeply, turned a full circle to 4 mm. 18 sec. in five times her own length, is well ventilated, buoyant, and, when equipped for sea, will draw only 14ft. of water. In our description of this vessel on Friday we stated that " she carried a broadside of guns equal in weight to those of the renowned Warrior." But this, as our readers must, of course, have seen, was an error, and should have been " carried a broadside of guns each equal in weight to the heaviest of those of the renowned Warrior." So far, however, ehe has established all the principles which her designer put forward when he began to modify her form from what she was originally intended to be —a wooden screw corvette. We cannot help thinking, nevertheless, that Mr. Reed would have been more successful in the matter of speed had the lines of these vessels been from the outset of his own designing. If the Admiralty have any consideration for our pocket, they will at once give up the false economy of endeavouring to coat wooden frigates in frame with iron—of trying, in fact, to adapt and work up old materials into a new purpose for which they were never intended. It makes but a bad compromise, such adapted vessels, after all, costing very little less then new, but being infinitely worse. The French have for the first time last autumn begun building two frigates which, like our Warriors and Minotaurs, are to be wholly of iron from end to end. Thejr have tried plating wooden frigates with iron, and, not finding them answer, have come back to the point at which we commenced, and begun building of iron only. With their costly experience before us, how can ourjAdmiralty hope to be more successful with iron-plated wooden frigates ? As a fact, however, they do not hope to be entirely successful, but only to make less conspicuous failures than our French neighbours have done in La Gloire. The Lord Warden and Lord Clyde, which are to be built of. wooden frames from Mr. Reed's design, will be magnificent vessels as fitr as size and speed, and for a time, perhaps, as far as strength is concerned. Each of these ships is to be of 4,000 tons, 1,000-horse power, and each is to carry two 300-pounders, and 30 100----pounders, cased in with 5 inches of iron. But, for the nominal saving of £10,000, effected by building their frames of wood, which rots at once under the iron, the country will eventually have to pay some £200,000, in the speedy decay of the ships and the consequent early necessity of replacing them with others. We need no stronger proof of their real cost than is to be found in the fact that the French, who were the foremost supporters of this system of building, now intend to give it up, and in future build of iron only.

It is rery gratifying to our enterprise and manufacturing skill to know that, after the start which our neighbours got of us in the launch of La Gloire and La Normandie, we are now ahead of the French in the number of ships afloat, the number launched and fitting, and in the number building, while in the still more important particulars of strength, size, and speed the French possess no ships whatever that can be even named in comparison with those of the Warrior or Minotaur class of frigates. Up to the pre-

sent the list of the iron navies of the two countries built or building is as follows . — Aemour-clad Ships xotv Afloat. j ESGLISn. FEEXCH. j Warrior Solferino I Black Prince Magenta Hector Invincible Valiant Couronne Defence _ Resistance La Gloire Koyal Oak Prince Consort Caledonia Research Recextly Launched asd Fitting. Achilles Provence Minotaur Heroine Ocean N£ably Ready for Launching. Agincourt Surveillante Royal Alfred Flandres Royal Sovereign Prince Albert Favourite Zealous Building- iK Vabiocs Stages. Northumberland Savoir Lord Clyde Revanche Lord Warden Magnanime Bellerophon Guyenne Pallas Valeureuse Gauloise Thus, then, we have ten iron frigates afloat as against six of the French ; three launched and fitting as against two of the French ; six nearly ready- for launching against two nearly ready for launching in France ; and five in various stages of building, while the French have six in the same condition ; —a total in all of 2 t English iron frigates against onlj 16 belonging to France. In making thi3 comparison, however, it should in fairness be borne in mind that of the six French frigates building not one is less than half finished, while some of ours returned as building, such as tlie Bellerophon, Lord Warden, and Lord Clyde, have, in fact, only just been commenced. On the other hand, it is believed that the French Marine intend to commence no new vessels this year ; while it is to be hoped that at least two more on the plan of the Bellerophon will be begun in this country. Everything of importance connected with the French ironclad vessels is, as a general rule, as well known to our Admiralty as to the Minister of Marine in Paris, and tho substance of all the knowledge that has reached this country has only tended to confirm the belief that, both in a military and in a mechanical point of view, we took the right course in turning out vessels of the Miuotajir and Warrior class. To this day they have never been equalled or even approached. The Solferino and Magenta, , two-decked iron frigates, are both slow and weak compared with any of the ships of this class, which are strong and swift enough to overrun a fleet, and carry armaments heavy enough to disregard almost any kind of fortifications.

In the list of French armemr-ships which we have given, all, whether building or built, with the exception of the two first-named, are frigates or heavy corvettes, carrying from 16 to 40 guns. The Solferino and Magenta only are two-deckers of tho class which in the old time used to be called doublebanked frigates. They are each rated as 80-gun ships, but, in reality, carry less, having only 64. All these ships are ordinary wooden vessels of war, covered with armour-plating, and in the earlier frigates so covered without the slightest attempt to adapt their form to their new casing. Their scantling (that is, the thickness of timber behind the plating) is not, as has 'been often stated, as much aa sft thick, but is neither more nor less than the thickness of ordinary men-of-war —that is, from 2ft in frigates to 2ift in the Solferino and Magenta. The armour-plates are shorter than ours, and are as nearly as possible about 4jin thick. None have grooved edges to tongue into each other, and each plate is fastened with 11 screws into the timber. The result of the recent experimental rouah-weather cruise of the Solferino, Magenta, Invincible, Couronne, and Normandie gave 6ome curious and rather unexpected results. The Solferino and Magenta two-deckers proved as as rocks when the Couronne and Normandle were rolling dreadfully, and thelatter made such bad weather of itandshippedso much water as toputoutherfircs, and there is little doubt but that she would have foundered outright had not the weather moderated scfficiently to enable her to gain a port. Before she was trusted out again, 100 tons of cables were fastened along each side of her upper deck, which had tho effect of steadying her much, though she was still found to roll so quickly and uneasily as to render it almost impossible for her to cast loose her guns in the slightest seaway. The Couronne labored heavily, but did nothing like this. The Invincible was the best of the frigates, and the Solferino was the fastest of the whole squadron, doing knots, when the 2Jormandie and Couronne were short of six knots. Singularly enough, the Solferino and Magenta, though sister ships, alike to a plank and rivet, and with the same engines and stowage, gave very different results as to speed, the Solferino doing 10J- knots, and the Magenta barely 7. The difference is, perhaps, to be ascribed to their engines, which are said to be bad in the latter ship. Both, however, were remarkably steady, except with the wind on the quarter, when they became uneasy, while the rest of the frigates were quiet. The Invincible was next to the Solferino in speed, and nearly equal to her in steadiness. On the whole, on a comparison of the ironclad fleets of the two countries, we have every reason to feel proud of our own, and —what is better than feeling proud— to feel secure while we have got them.

Cotton Supply Association. —At the usual weekly meeting of the Executive Committee, held on Tuesday, February 9, a sample of Laguna cotton from Mexico was submitted for examination, and valued at 27d. to 28J. per lb. The accompanying letter stated that the cultivation is extending, and that some consignments may be expected about May or June nexf. A letter was read from Gibraltar stating that the cultivation of cotton is increasing in Morocco, and requesting a speedy supply of seed, in order that by sowing early two crops may be obtained in the year. The cold has hitherto prevented the second crop from coming to maturity, and it is believed that tliis would be remedied by sowing in the beginning of March. Beans, maize, and other cereals having turned out bad during the last two years, increased attention has been given to the growth of cotton, and considerable shipments are expected. A letter was received from Durban, Natal, reporting that the cultivation of cotton is rapidly extending. The want of labor is tho only drawback, and thi3, it is expected, will soon be removed by a large importation of coolies. Tho plants continue to bear for several years ; the writer has picked up cotton from some eight years old. He sends a sample of cotton from Egyptian seed, obtained from the Association, on a piece of land within half a mile of the sea shore. Sea Island seems to be most in favor, on acconnt of its high price ; but the other varieties are receiving increased attention. A latter was read from the honorary agents of the Association at Bombay respecting operations now in progress in Ifagpore, and describing recent fluctuations in the cotton market at that place. Another letter was received from Malta requesting supplies of seed for Tripoli, stating that the efforts to grow cotton are likely to prove successful, and that a good crop is expected this spring. Maltese seed has been chiefly used, but it is intended to sow Egyptian, New Orleans, and Sea Island. A letter was received from Turin, containing a catalogue of the various samples at the exhibition of Italian cotton now open at the Royal Industrial Museum at Turin, under the auspices of the Ministry of Agricultural, Industry, and Commerce. The samples have been arranged for the practical use of cotton brokers, spinners, and manufacturers of ginning and other cotton machinery, according to their species as known in commerce. It is confidently expected that this exhibition will greatly promote the cultivation of cotton in Italy, »nd be productive of most beneficial reeults.— Timu.

The Weoxgs op the Stomach. —In most of the early literature is to be found a dialogue between the J Body and the Soul, in whkii each accuses the other lof their mutual perdition, recapitulating the offences \ which have prod ced it. Something similar might be written, with good effect, dividing the imaginary conversatiDn bet ween, let us sax, the Stomach and the Man, anl in:-.kiiig an .-Utuok of'gout the subject of their recrhnmalionsT The Man might accuse the Stomach of having done its duty so badly that he is tormented with a burning fire iv his extremities which will neither let him eat, drink, walk, nor rest. The Stomach might plead justification, and say thit she had lighted the said fire as the only means of getting a moment's rest from an intolerable taskmaster. Again, the Man might complain that lie had lost all enjoyment of life, that his spirits were depressed, his mind gloomy, his appetite gone, his once fine muscular system reduced to flabby indolence; that his food did him more harm than good, so that it had become a misery to eat, and that every meal was followed by a leaden oppression which rendered life lan insupportable burden. The Stomach, having I listened to all this, delivered in a tone of angry accusation, would reply, "My case is just as bad as your own. Before I had well digested your breakfast, you gave mc a meat luncheon to see to, and before I had got that out of the way, you thrust a dinner upon mc large enough for three stomachs. Not satisfied with that, you wound up the day with'a supper, drenching mc all the time with ale, wine, spirits, tea, coffee, rum, more wine, and more spirits, till I thought you had taken leave of your senses; and when I heard you groan in your sleep, starting up every now and then ns if apolexy had broken into the house, and was going to carry you off, I said to myself, 'Serve him right if it did. . And in this way you went on year after year, treating all my remonstrances with contempt. I gave you head-ache after headache ; I tried to recall you to reason with half-a-dozen attacks of influenza, gave you a bilious fever, made you smart with a rheumatism, twinged you with gout till you roared. But all to no purpose. You went on making mc digest till the work broke my back, and now I can digest no longer." This reproach might' be made even pathetic, by a description of the stomach watching its hard tasks come down to it from tho regions above between dinner and bedtime. First comes a plate of soup and bread, and a glass of sherry; "I ican manage that," says the stomach. Then a plate of fish, with more bread and more sherry; "and that," adds the Stomach, " though these sauces don't quite agree with mc." Then comes beef, or mutton, or both and stout; then game and sherry ; then a dish of tart; " Confound this pastry," says the Stomach, "it gives mo more trouble than anything else ; but if the master will only stop here, 1 think, if I put out all my powers, I can get even this rubbish out of the way." But she has hardly taken this hopeful view of the case, when down come cheese, celery, apples, oranges, nuts, figs, almonds and raisins, port, sherry, claret, and a tumbler of hot Hollands-and-water. " Good gracious, waa there ever such a mess ?" exclaims the Stomach; " what can the man mean ? Does he think one pair of hands can manage all this ?" Still the willing slave goes to work, when presently there is a rush of hot tea from above, with a thin slice of bread and butter. And when the stomach with infinite labor has got the hodge-podge into some sort of homogeneous shape, and is preparing to take a nap after her exhaustion, lo! a devilled drumstick rushes into its laboratory, two devilled kidneys, a bottle of stout, and three tumblers of hot brandy and water. — London Review. The Gift of the Gab.—Sir Robert Peel on more than one occasion invited Mr. Stephenson to Drayton. He refused at first, from an indisposition to " mix in fine company," but ultimately went. On one occasion an animated discussion took pl;ice between himself and Dr. Buckland on ono of. his favorite theories as to the formation of coal. But the result was that Dr. Butkland, a much greater master of the tongue fence than Stephenson, completely silenced him. Next morning before breakfast, when he was walking in the grounds, deeply pondering, Sir William Follett came up, and asked what he was thinking about. " Why, Sir William, I am tliinking over the argument I had with Buckland last night. I know that I am right, and that, if I had only the command of work which he has, I'd have beaten him." " Let mc know all about it," said Sir William, " and I'll see what I can do for you." Tho two eat down in an arbor, when the astute lawyer made himself thoroughly acquainted with the facts of the case, entering into it with all the zeal of an advocate about to plead the dearest interests of his client. After he had mastered the subject, Sir William rose up, rubbing his hands with glee, and said, " Now I am ready for him." Sir Robert was made acquainted with the plot, and adroitly introduced the subject of the controversy after dinner. The result was that in the argument which followed the man of science was overcome by the man of law, and Sir William Follett had at all points the mastery over Dr. Buckland. " What do you say, Mr. Stephenson ? " asked Sir Robert, laughing. " Why," said he, " I will only say this—that of all the powers above and under the earth there seems to mc to be no power so great as the gift of the gab."— Men who have risen.

Title of " Honoubable."—A correspondence on this subject, between the Duke of Newcastle, Sir Dominick Daly, and Sir John Young, has been lately presented to both Houses sf Parliament, and printed. In April last, Sir Dominick Daly, at the request ot the members of his Council, applied to the Duke of Newcastle, to know whether, m South Australia, as in Canada and other colonies, ex-members of the Executive and Legislative Councils, might retain thetitl honourable. The Duke of Newcastle at once stated that "the retention of that.title by an ex-member of a Legislative Council was without precedent, and would be wholly incongruous, especially in cases where the Council is elective." But he proposed, and after consulting the opinion of Sir Dominick Daly, adopted this arrangement—that the names of those ex-members of the Executive Council, whom "'the Governor may recommend as eligible for the retention of the title " honorable," ghall be submitted by the Secretary of State to the Queen ; and that the Governor should not recommend any ex-councillor for this honor vn'ess he has either been, for three years, member of a Colonial Government, or for one year at tho head of it. The Duke of Newcastle expresses his readiness to adopt the same course in respect to this colony ; and, no doubt, this proposal will be accepted, In that case, Mr. Cowper, Mr. Robertson, Mr. Weeks, and Mr. Arnold, will probably be authorised to retain the title " honourable." Sydney Empire.