78 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCO VE11Y. 



rising with greater buoyancy on the waves, will go further, and may 

 even, accompanied by squadrons of screw coal-ships, pass to distant 

 seas, and there, by their speed, harass commerce, blockade harbors, 

 and engage the heaviest ships that will venture to assail them. 



The project suggested by me in 1852, was to use ribs, in connec- 

 tion with such a thickness of coal within as the case permitted ; and 

 as round projectiles were alone in vogue, I have no doubt that these, 

 when properly arranged, would have been effectual. 



If rifled projectiles Are, however, introduced into the batteries of 

 ships, this form of armature will no doubt be less effectual ; and I 

 therefore have now suggested the addition of interior plates, so that 

 the projectiles which may reach them shall be diverted from the more 

 vital parts, and in the inner bulkheads of the bunkers can be made 

 to serve this purpose. If, however, the ribbing should be found to 

 be useless against the rifled projectiles, then I propose to substitute a 

 system of smooth plates, corrugated or grooved, so as to take advan- 

 tage of the glancing property of the rifled shot or shell. 



STEAM-EAMS AS AGENTS IN NAVAL WARFARE. 



Admiral Sartorias, of the British Navy, in the following communi- 

 cation to the London Times, thus discusses the utility of steam-rams 

 in naval warfare : 



As it is clear the iron walls must supersede wooden ones, let us 

 examine which of the two actual arrangements of the former is the 

 most efficient the steam-frigate iron-cased, with the usual masts, 

 yards, and sails of a line-of-battle ship, only using her guns, or the 

 modification of the steam-frigate, which also uses artillery, and is ex- 

 pressly built for speed and strength, and weight sufficient to sink by 

 concussion, and with a rig subordinate to that important quality. I 

 give my reasons, in the following observations, to show why I think 

 the latter (steam-ram) is infinitely superior for service, less expen- 

 sive in construction, and much less in maintenance. 



The iron-plated steam-ram, can make use of guns as the steam- 

 frigate, equal in calibre, and, if required, equal in number. She 

 can use more guns from each extremity than the steam-frigate from 

 her bow or stern ; therefore, whether retreating or -pursuing, the 

 steam-ram is more formidable, even when she trusts to her guns 

 alone. 



A single steam-ram can effect with her beak an amount of destruc- 

 tion in a few minutes which would take many steam-frigates to effect 

 very imperfectly in as many days, if at all. She could get in among 

 a fleet at night, sink two or three ships, and disperse the rest. She 

 could run into a harbor by one entrance, and out by the other, sink 

 some of the ships at anchor in the outer road by her beak, and set 

 fire to others by her incendiary projectiles. 



The steam-ram should have both extremities the same ; she could 

 run in or out among the enemy's vessels, and advance or back with 

 the same velocity and quickness. If attacking at night, with masts 

 lowered, she could not be seen until felt ; could launch out her incen- 

 diary projectiles into the town and harbor, and there would be no 

 masts, sails, or rigging to obstruct their flight in every direction. 



