SEA-GOING QUALITIES OF IRON OLADS.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2212, 3 June 1879, Page 2

SEA-GOING QUALITIES OF IRON OLADS.

The narrow escape of the French ironclad Implacable, which Has in company with the Arrogante when the latter vessel foundered off Toulon on the 19th of March (says the Pall Mall Gazette), afford* a curious and inntructivc illustration of the way in which the very means provided to ensure the safety of a vessel may cause her destruction. Like all iroa ships, the two French floating batteries were divided by transverse bulkheads into water-tight compartments ; and during the storm in which the Arrogant* went down, the Implacable, which was almost within hail of her contort, shipped (we learn from an account of the disaster printed in the Army and TJavy (iazette) so much water through ncr hawse-holes before these could be stopped that the water-tight compartment forward was tilled with water. In this con* dition, with an immen.->c weight of water in her bow*, the Implacable was pitching in a most daiigcrons manner, and was in imminent danger of going down head foremost, when her captain ordered the bulk-head winch confined the water to be broken through. This "brought the water aft, immediately relieved the bow, enabled the pump* to #> t<> work," and the vessel was saved. Whether if the same step had been taken on board the Arrogant* the Utter would also have been able to ride out the storm it is impossible to aay ; but the account describe* the vessel an " dipping her nose J>efi>rc she went down, ho that the pumps could not be used with effect," and it is added that when an attempt was made "to run her ashore it was found impossible to steam ahead or astern," presumably became of the altered trim of the vessel caused by her foremost compartment being filled with water.