174 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
having doubtless received considerable assistance in working out 
his plans from the eminent firm to whom the construction of the 
ship was entrusted. 
The Monarch (PL LX., fig. 1) presents 'externally an appear- 
ance closely resembling that of a broadside iron-clad. Her 
sides rise to the height of 14 feet above water, and she has a 
complete upper deck and forecastle, on which the greater part 
of the ropes are worked, just as in a broadside vessel. Her 
armour is also disposed on a plan identical with that of our 
recent broadside ships, a belt (indicated by the black portion in 
the figure in the plate) protecting the region of the water-line 
throughout the whole length, and a central battery or chamber 
constructed amidships. On the belt the armour rises to the 
height of about 4f feet above the water ; while, on the central 
battery, it rises to the full height of 14 feet. At the bow and 
stern also the armour is carried up above the belt, in order to 
form protected batteries for bow and stern guns, or, as they are 
technically termed, “ chasers.” The lower edge of the armour 
belt is five feet below water. In the central protected chamber 
on the main deck the turrets are placed, their top parts project- 
ing about 6^ feet above the upper deck, the engines for turning 
them being placed on the lower deck beneath their bases. By 
this arrangement the turret-guns are carried at a height of about 
1 6 feet above the water. The high freeboard of the vessel has 
been adopted in order to ensure this great height of the guns 
above the water, for, in consequence, the capability of the ship 
to fight in a sea-way has been largely increased. 
Turning to the Captain (PI. LX., fig. 2), we find an entirely 
different arrangement. The upper deck proper is only a few 
feet above water ; the original intention was to have had a free- 
board of 8 ft., but this has been decreased to about 6^- ft., by 
causes which will be hereafter referred to. The hull is armoured 
throughout the length to the height of the upper deck ; and 
the lower edge of the armour was intended to be about 5 ft. 
below water. The turrets stand upon the lower deck, and pro- 
ject about 6£ ft. above the upper deck, the height of the turret- 
ports above water being actually about 8 ft. only, instead of the 
originally intended height of 10 ft. This statement makes it 
evident that in fighting power in a sea-way the Captain must 
prove inferior to the Monarch , as her ports have only about 
half the elevation above the sea, whatever the relative capa- 
bilities of the two vessels may be in other respects. The most 
important feature in the Captain remaining to be noticed in 
this general view, is the “ flying deck,” which extends from the 
poop to the fore-castle at a height of about 1 1 ft. above the 
upper deck, and to which access is obtained by means of a 
large deck-house, or casing, placed between the turrets. This 
