PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 487 



deck plating so as to wedge it up half an inch. Upon the deck the inden- 

 tations are in depth from one-quarter to one and a quarter inches, in length 

 from three to twenty-two inches, and in width from one and a half to six 

 inches. In some cases the plating was split under and about the point of 

 impact. 



The edges and corners of the plating were sprung up, the bolts started, 

 and where the shot struck bolt heads they have been driven into, and in 

 one case, three inches through the beam below. Upon the turret the inden- 

 tations are from one-half to one and a half inches in depth, but no fractures 

 have been made, and only one bolt was broken; and where the shots have 

 struck near the ends or sides of plates they are very slightly sprung, but 

 in no wise loosened or shaken. 



No effect was perceptible inside except in one instance, when two ten 

 inch shot struck, in rapid succession, within six: or eight inches of each 

 other, near the base of the turret; immediately after which it was found 

 difficult to revolve the turret until it was raised by driving in the key three- 

 quarters of an inch, when it again revolved freely. 



The coincidence would suggest this difficulty to have been the effect of 

 the shots, but as it is hard to see how such could have been the case, and 

 as after the engagement, it was found that only one of the turret engines 

 was working properly, it seems more fairly to be attributable to the latter 

 cause. 



The point of impact of these shot was almost directly against the IVont 

 end of the left rail on which the eleven inch gun runs out and in, and their 

 force was such as to spring this rail sufficiently to break square off Iwo of 

 the one and a quarter inch bolts with which the bottom plate of the front 

 stoppers is fastened to it. 



At the port of the fifteen inch gun the turret was found to be somewhat 

 shaken, the plates being separated from each other, especially at I lie lop 

 both edgewise and sidewise, in some cases quite one-eighth of an inc!i; and 

 as the only hits which could have effected this were fair between bot!) ports, 

 and the eleven inch port is perfectly unshaken, it seems fairly attributable 

 to the concussion. 



The upper smoke stack is considerably riddled, but the jacket is only 

 slightly indented and remains perfectly firm. 



Upon the pilot house the indentations vary from one-quarter to tlirco- 

 quartcrs of an inch and have not injured the plates themselvt/s; but 

 although nut bolts were hit, seven were broke short off" by the shocks, the 

 bolt ends flung back violently upon the turret, and the inner ends, with 

 nuts attached, flung violently across to the opposite side of the iin.Tior 

 narrowly clearing those within. The fracture of these bolts exhib;i«i an 

 inferior quality of iron, quite in contrast with that of the bolt from the tur- 

 ret or the side armor. 



The muzzle box and ring of the fifteen inch gun hold on well, oniy one 

 bolt having given way in each. The box being found slightly sprung fiom 

 the side of the turret on one side, but so far, only enough to require the 

 bolts to be tightened up, and the ring remains firm and tight. 



The engineer in charge reports when the guns were fired over the qiiar- 



