MISCELLANEOUS. 79 
12,000 square feet of surface, and itis upon this bed of timber, itself reposing 
upon the iron sides of the ship, that the armour plates are to be ffxed. These 
outer plates will be secured by iron bolts thirty-seven inches in lingth, which pass 
through the 44 inches of iron plates, 18 inches of teak, five-eighths of an inch of 
iron forming the shell proper of the ship; and, finally, about nine inches of 
timber, which forms the inside lining of various portions of the structure. To 
the cost of the hull is to be added that of the engines of 1,200 horse power; 
these, however, will cost no more than would the engines of an ordinary screw 
line-of-battle ship, viz., about £72,000, at the rate of £60 for each horse power, 
The cost of the engines and ship will be about £300,000. The ordnance and 
stores probably about the same as an 80-gun ship, as all the guns will be Arm- 
strong’s, of the heaviest calibre. If the Warrior accomplish what may fairly 
be expected of her, she will be the cheapest ship in the navy. The Thames Ship- 
building Company, by whom she is built, have now adapted their machinery to 
the work required, and a sister ship would no doubt be built in half the time 
which has been taken up in constructing the Warrior. It is stated that the 
Government have ordered an iron-plated ship to be commenced forthwith at 
Chatham, in the royal dockyard, and it would be curious to ascertain whether a 
ship of this class can be constructed more cheaply there than in a private yard. 
The Admiralty have appointed four inspectors, who narrowly watch the progress 
of the works, and examine every portion of the iron work and timber before it is 
put into the ship. Mr. Hardy, the superintendent of the works, and Mr. Ash, the 
company’s chief draughtsman, have devoted great time and attention to the work, 
and the ship, when completed, will, without any doubt, serve to keep up the high 
reputation which the Thames works have already acquired. It isa matter of 
regret that a second ship of the same class is not now in progress in the same 
yard, as while the outer plates are being performed, portions of another ship 
might be proceeded with. 
What may be the value in a naval engagement of ships of this class can only 
be really tested in action. This much, however, is clear, that ships like the War- 
rior can successfully resist those destructive shells, of which a gallant officer 
recently said, “ For God’s sake keep out the shells.” That at least is something 
done so far as these ships are concerned. But ships ofthe Warrzor class can still 
throw shells filled with molten iron, or with liquid fire, or charged with powder 
which may explode on concussion with the sides of a wooden ship, while at the 
same time they are practically invulnerable to the heaviest shot that can be 
delivered by their opponents. Whitworth’s gun may punch a hole in the iron 
cuirass of these ships with its flat-headed shot, within a limited range, but unless 
followed by a succession of such shots, or pierced with shells, the mail-clad 
Warrior may reel for an instant beneath the blow, but will not be seriously 
affected. In the case of shot piercing the sides, there is a covered way provided 
all round the ship for men to pass and plug up the holes. If struck either in the 
fore part or stern, the water-tight compartments will still keep the ship in safety. 
At those immense long ranges of Mr. Whitworth’s, of which we have heard so 
much, there would be great dificulty in hitting the ship at all, and if struck the 
shot would fall harmless upon her. The great speed of the Warrior will give 
