|
Report On Iron Clad Vessels
Recent improvements in the form and
preparation of projectiles, and their increased capacity for
destruction, have elicited a large amount of ingenuity and skill
to devise means for resisting them in their construction of
ships-of-war. As yet we know of nothing superior to the large
and heavy spherical shot in its destructive effects on vessels,
whether plated or not.
Rifled guns have greater range, but
the conical shot does not produce the crushing effect
of spherical shot.
It is assumed that 4 inch plates are
the heaviest armor a sea going vessel can safely carry. These
plates should be of tough iron, and rolled in large long pieces.
This thickness of armor, it is believed, will resist all projectiles
now in general use at a distance of 500 yards, especially if
the ship's sides are angular.
Plates hammered in large masses are
less fibrous and tough than when rolled. The question whether
wooden backing, or any elastic substance behind the iron plating
will tend to relieve at all the frame of the ships from the
crushing effect of a heavy projectile, is not yet decided. Major
Barnard says "to put an elastic material behind iron is
to insure its destruction." With all difference to such
elastic substance (soft wood, perhaps, is best) might relieve
the frame of the ship somewhat from the terrible shock of a
heavy projectile, though the plate should be fractured.
With respect to a comparison between
ships of iron and those of wood, without plating, high authorities
in England differ as to which is best. The tops of ships built
of iron, we are told, wear out three bottoms; whilst the bottoms
of those built of wood will outwear three tops. In deciding
upon the relative merits of iron and wooden-framed vessels,
for each of which we have offers, the board is of opinion that
it would be well to try a specimen of each as both have distinguished
advocates. One strong objection to iron vessels which, so far
as we know, has not yet been overcome, is the oxidation or rust
in salt water, and their liability of becoming foul under water
by the attachment of sea grass and animalcules to their bottoms.
The best preventative we know of is a coating of pure zinc paint,
which, so long as it lasts, is believed to be an antidote to
this cause of evil.
After these brief remarks on the subject
generally, we proceed to notice the plans and offers referred
to us for construction of plated vessels and floating batteries.
It has long been suggested that the
most ready mode of obtaining an iron-clad ship-of-war would
be to contract with responsible parties in England for its complete
construction; and we are assured that parties there are ready
to engage in such an enterprise on terms more reasonable, perhaps,
than such a vessels could be built in this country, having greater
experience and facilities than we possess. Indeed, we are informed
there are no mills and machinery in this country capable of
rolling iron 4 inches thick, though plates might be hammered
to that thickness in many of our workshops. As before observed,
rolled iron is considered much the best, and the difficulty
of rolling it increases rapidly with the increase of thickness.
It has, however, occurred to us that a difficulty might arise
with the British government, in case we should undertake to
construct ships-of-war in that country, which might complicate
their delivery; and moreover, we are of opinion that every people
or nation who can maintain a navy should be capable of constructing
it themselves.
Our immediate demands seem to require,
first, so far as practicable, vessels invulnerable to shot,
of light draught of water, to penetrate our shoal harbors, rivers
and bayous. We, therefore, favor the construction of this class
of vessels before going into a more perfect system of large
iron-clad sea-going vessels of war. We are here met with the
difficulty of encumbering small vessels with armor, which, from
their size, they are unable to bear. We, nevertheless, recommend
that contracts be made with responsible parties for the construction
of one or more iron-clad vessels or batteries of as light a
draught of water as practicable consistent with their weight
of armor. Meanwhile, availing of the experience thus obtained,
and the improvements which we believe are yet to be made by
other naval powers in building iron-clad ships, we would advise
the construction, in our own dock-yards, of one or more of these
vessels upon a large and more perfect scale, when Congress shall
see fit to authorize it. The amount now appropriated is not
sufficient to build both classes of vessels to any great extent.
First Previous
Next Last
Go to Main Category:
The Revolutionary Union Ironclad Monitor
Go to other documents in this category:
John Ericsson: Life Before the
Monitor
Development of the Monitor
Description of the USS Monitor -
S.E.E. Edmonds
Naming of the Monitor
What Circumstances Dictated the
Monitor's Size and Peculiar Construction?
Chronology of the USS Monitor
|
![[ Navigation Bar ]](../../resources/navigation.gif){kind=small}