Steam in the Navy 103 



that her towering wooden sides would 

 present a splendid target for such ships 

 as the La Gloire and the Warrior. 



The next step taken by the Admiralty 

 was to cut down many of the existing 

 wooden ships and fit armour to their 

 sides. 



Whilst this was going on, wooden war- 

 ships, built in the 'thirties as sailing 

 vessels were still thought well worth while 

 fitting with engines and screw propellers. 

 They could never have been really effec- 

 tive units in case of war, for their hulls 

 were not designed for speed, and the 

 mixture of steam and a plentiful spread 

 of canvas never was, nor ever could be, 

 really effective. The wonder is that the 

 change was ever attempted, but we must 

 remember that then a tight hand was 

 kept on the money chest. And after all, 

 was not the British Navy in an unassail- 

 able position after Trafalgar? 



