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THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[June, 



speaking of war steamers by a suitable armament ; it can be done in a few 

 words. 



It is known that in steamers, the machinery is placed amidships. That is 

 then tlie vulnerable part, since the vitality of the vessel dwells here, and it is 

 correct to say that in a steamer the centre or midship is the weak point. 



The extremities on the contrary by their distance fiom the motive power, 

 by the acuity of their forms and their small superficies exposed compared to 

 the broadside, better protect the motive power and expose it less. 

 That is then the strong point. 



This principle is fundamental, it estaljlishes a marked essential difference 

 between the sailing vessel and the steamer ; between their mode of fighting ; 

 between the armament suitable for the first and that suitable for the second. 

 In the sailing vessel it is the broailside which is the strong side; and a 

 numerous artillery has been develotied on it : it is (hen suitable and rational 

 to fight it by presenting the broadside ; thence, the line of battle and every 

 system of tactics of which it is the basis. 



But in steam, where the conditions of power are no longer the same, where 

 the broadside is on the contrary the w eak side, it is equally suitable, equally 

 rational to arm the broadside, since by placmg guns there it necessarily fol- 

 lows it must be exposed to tlie shot of (he enemy ? 



No : unless we deny the principle which has here been laid down, that is 

 neither suitable nor rational. 



Admitting this principle, it is easy to draw a conclusion ; if the stem and 

 stern are the strong points of the steamer, it is there that we must fi^ht her. 

 attack and defend ; the stem and stern must be armed with guns. The want 

 of space not permitting a numerous artillery to be developed on those points, 

 we must as far as possible, make up for the power of number by that of cali- 

 bre, uniting if it is possible the widest range with the greatest effect. 



That is, according to us, the general mode of armament suitable for the war 

 steamer. 



This is no new theory : the principle laid down in its most general expres- 

 sion, has been long since applied in England and the United .States ; and this 

 example has b.id imitators in Russia, Holland, Naples and among all mari- 

 time nations. We alone persist in withstanding it, in pursuing in our new 

 navy an impossible and dangerous assimilation, and this peisistency, we are 

 compelled to say is for our steam il{et a general cause of inferiority. We 

 jioint it out once for all, to avoid returning to it in the course of this enquiry. 

 That laid down, we continue. 



The hifcrnul, the third of the 450 h. p. steamers, has received from the fac- 

 tory at Indret, a f.mr cylinder engine, a new system of which the first appli- 

 cation was made to a steamer employed in the works of the breakwater at 

 Cherbourg ; a second trial was shortly after made on board the Comtc D'Eu, 

 constructed at the works of Indret, and intended for the King, as a yacht. 

 These two trials, have not been fortunate, and the Comte D'Eu, built at great 

 expense, was judged unsuitable for its occupation. 



However this might have been, they did not give in as beaten ; two other 

 vessels, the Itifcnia! and Ardent, received machinery constructed on the same 

 system, one of 450 h. p., the other of 220 h. p., and other similar engines are 

 in the course of completion. M'ill this new experiment furnish more results 

 more satisfactory and more decisive ? It must doubtless be hoped for; for if 

 it justifies the mistrust excited by the first results, there will be occasion to 

 regret that in a fit of precipitation, we did not wait for a decisive experi- 

 ment, before applying a new system on a grand scale. 



The fourth vessel on the list is the Ctivicr of 320 h. p. When in 1838 the 

 Gorgon and Cyclops issued from the English ports, every one was struck with 

 their power as ships of war, as well as with iheir fine sea qualities. There- 

 fore a laudable anxiety was shown to obtain the necessary plans and data to 

 enrich our navy with smiilar vessels, and un those plans, modified for doubt- 

 ful ameliorations, if we arc to judge by the result, the Cueirr was produced. 



Unfortunately, far from resembling the type from which it was made, the 

 Cuvicr, has a very bad motion, neither can it carry together ils artillery and 

 fuel. AVe may refer to a recent fact which will attest its mediocrity. Having 

 left Brest with the Archimi-des of 220 h. p., which is only a vessel of very 

 common capabilities, the Ciivier was obliged to slacken speed, while the other 

 kept quietly on. 



Next canie the Gasscndi and Lavoisier of 220 h. p., bad ships and batl en- 

 gines i always under costly repairs, they are far from having rendered equi- 

 valent services, notwithstanding the exertions of the officers who commanded 

 them ; 



Then the Cameleon, which can only reach 7 knots n itli all her steam up ; 

 lastly, the Pinion, I'ehcc, and Archimedc of 220 h. p., like the preceding one. 

 These three vessels are the best in our navy (although very heavy), if we 

 consider the force of their motive power. They have good qualities and their 

 working, without being superior, is at least satisfactory. Anywhere where 

 they may appear on foreign stations, we shall not be exposed tn humiliating 

 comparisons ; we shall not have, as recently happened on the Levant station, 

 the spectacle of two steamers, one English, the other French, both leaving 

 the Piraeus to give assistance to one of our corvettes and save her from the 

 coast on which she had grounded, Mturning both to the same port, in the 



sight of the united squadrons, one steamer, the English, towing ihe corvette, 

 and notwithstanding that racing with the French steamer, which thus termi- 

 nated the impotent part which it commenced on the scene of the casually. 



The U steamers of 220 h. p., are hl;e the 450 h. p. reserved for political and 

 other missions. One of ihem, the Arehimcdes, has just left Brest liound for 

 the China seas, where she will form part of the naval division united there. 

 The five others are almost constantly required for political wants, or to co- 

 operate in the changes which are required in autumn among the troops of 

 Algiers. 



This kind of vessel seems to us, under actual circumstances, particularly 

 adapted for the war service, which we expect from a steam na\y. A double 

 experiment is now being tried, one on board the Cameleon, the other on board 

 the Pinion. L*>t us hope that the comparative study of these two systems, 

 which both are an homage to the principle we have laid down, may serve to 

 show the superiority of one to the other, or point out a better comb'nation : 

 be it as it may, U is to be wished that every exertion should be made for its 

 general application in the navy, for our present system of armament or rather 

 want of all system, is a serious cause of military inferiority much to be re- 

 gretted. 



We now arrive at the class of 160 h. p., a numerous class, constituting the 

 majority of our steam fleet. 



When the Sphinx appeared in 1829, the military navy was just beginning in 

 steam navigation ; it only possessed a small number of steamers, unhappy 

 experiments, fit at the best to be turned to account as harbour tugs. At this 

 period the Sphinx was a progress, and a real progress, which left tar behind 

 all that had been done to that time. During ten years consequently the 

 Spliinx remained the privileged model faithfully copied, but often with less 

 success. During the whole of this period our 160 h. p. were only copies of 

 the Sphituc, and it is believed that even in 1840 a Sphinx came out of our 

 docks. 



Thus during more than ten years, we remained stationary, restricting our- 

 selves to th'-' exclusive worship of the only type, the 160 h. p. which of itself 

 alone is almost all the fleet. 



The necessities of the African service sufficiently justified their persistency. 

 It was necessary all at once, almost in the infancy of steam navigation, to 

 hit upon means of tr.ansport proportionate to the wants of a vast military oc- 

 cupation, organize an active and regular correspondence, and it was to the 

 steam navy they applied. Thenceforth all the resources of this growing navy 

 were absorbed by the imperious and ever increasing wants ; no more experi- 

 ments, no mure improvements were possible ; the urgency predominated over 

 every thing ; steamers were wanted, a model existed, a successl'ul tried model, 

 and of which the whole navy employed inithc Algerine cxpeJition proclaimed 

 the excellencey ; in the same model therefore a number of vessels were has- 

 tened to be built. Thence the whole lamily of the 160 horse powers which 

 now make such a number in the budget. 



This circumstance must be enforced to explain the excessive developement 

 of a model, which was no doubt good, when it appeareil, but which has 

 ceased to be so because it has not participated in improvement, and because 

 we now require in war steamers iither qualifications of force and power. We 

 are no longer contented with qualities which by the force of the imperious 

 circumstances we have explained, have made the 160 horse powers the object 

 of such lasting favour. As a vessel of war, it is now too weak to be rated, 

 and ils inferiority of work makes it unfit for quick service. M'e acknowledge 

 lliat it possesses one qualification, essential it is true, but insufficient when 

 isolated; that is that it bears itself well at sea. Instituted expressly for the 

 African service, the African service is its specialty ; consequently in ordinary 

 times we see that this service absorbs a considerable number. 



First, three are employed in the conveyance of sick ; they are the Gregeois, 

 the Meteor, and the Cerberc. These three vessels have been fitted to give 

 shelter to their passengers, and have been raised by giving them another 

 deck. It may be easily understood that the construction of this shelter has 

 not added to their good qualities, and that even under certain circumstances 

 it may be a cause of risk and endanger the safety of the heavily burdened 

 vessel. But at that price the sick are sheltered, whilst on board the other 

 vessels, in the continual going to and fro between the two shores of the Medi- 

 terranean, between Algiers and the other points of occupation, our soldiers 

 bivouac on the deck, summer and winter, wetted with rain and spray, and 

 that has been going on for fourteen years ; that is the model condition I Are 

 there no sufferings which come less closely to us, and are less worthy of ex- 

 citing the sympathy and solicitude of the nation ?■•= 



The ordinary relations with Algeria require the permanent service of 9 

 steamers as transports and for correspondence with France, Algiers and the 

 several points of coast. In a service so active carried on by vessels of heavy 

 construction, frequently overtasked, damage is frequent. It is generally 

 reckoned that 4 or 5 are kept in port for repair. This number sometimes runs 

 up to 6, especially in winter, when the causes of accident are multiplied. At 

 least 4 or 5 vessels therefore must be kept in reserve to meet these casualties' 



42 Ttils is a remark whlcti does much honour to the feeliogs of the author, and one 

 which uo doubt will not be without influence. 



