POPOFFKAS, OR CIRCULAR IRONCLADS. 
269 
shall examine this question from two points of view — first, what 
is the value of the Popoffka as a vessel intended for coast 
defence in the shallow waters of the Black Sea, or the Sea of 
Azov ; and secondly, is the Popoffka system applicable to vessels 
intended for ordinary warlike purposes and for naval operations 
in the open sea ? 
Now it must be quite evident that the Novgorod and the 
Admiral Popoff are not ships at all, but only floating bat- 
teries of novel construction. Even the maximum speed of 
8-| knots obtained by the Novgorod on a special occasion is a 
low one ; lower still is her ordinary speed of 6 J knots. Their 
coal supply is so small that they cannot cruise, but must simply 
use it to reach some station selected for defence, and then to 
work their ventilating fans and gun-platforms. The low 
circular hull is little better than a movable pontoon floating 
the breastwork and the guns. The Popoffka, if she sought an 
action, could not overtake the slowest ironclad in any European 
navy ; or if she wished to avoid one, she could not escape. A 
hostile ship could choose her own position and distance in 
fighting her ; and if an enemy chose to use his ram, the 
Popoffka , with her inferior speed, would find great difficulty in 
avoiding it, let her work her six screws as she would. The open 
turret or circular breastwork offers very little protection to the 
men working the guns. The two 28-ton guns of the Novgorod 
are mounted so as to fire en barbette — that is, over a breast- 
work which has no portholes — so that the men are continually 
more or less exposed to fire. The 40-ton guns of the Admiral 
Popoff are in a better position, for they are mounted on the 
disappearing principle; but in both ships the crews of the 
guns would be exposed to bursting shells ; and in addition to 
this, in the Novgorod the men at the guns would suffer from 
showers of shrapnel-balls at long ranges and rifle fire at close 
quarters. Again, there is no overhang at the stern to protect 
the six screws. In fighting a single antagonist or defending a 
narrow channel, the Popoffka would, of course, protect her 
screws by keeping her bow to the enemy ; but if she had to 
engage more than one hostile vessel, her whole motive power 
might be destroyed by a few well-directed shots. 
It is easy enough to say that an overhang could be added to 
protect the screws, and that a closed turret could be substituted 
for the breastwork, but the mere fact that this has not been 
done by Admiral Popoff is enough to show that serious difficul- 
ties stood in the way of such an arrangement. And it is quite 
j evident in what these difficulties consist. The ships have been 
built to carry thick armour and heavy guns on a light draught 
and small displacement. For this the circular form was 
adopted, and to this , every other consideration was sacrificed. 
