418 
MINUTES OE PKOCEEDINGS OE 
The “ Warrior " target represented a midship section of the ship which > 
by reference to the accompanying drawing, it will be seen is of the following 
construction. 
Bibs (A), about 2 ft. apart, 10 inches deep made 
up of web and angle-irons 4' 
84" x f" 
out¬ 
side these the skin (B) f" thick in two plates, then 
18" of teak backing ( C ), in two layers, the inner 
layer 10" thick and placed horizontally, the outer 
layer 8" thick, and placed vertically. The armour 
plates (J9) of hammered iron 44" thick, with tongues 
and grooves as shown at ( d ), were secured to the 
skin by 14 " through bolts, in the proportion of 
one bolt to about 3J ft. superficial of the ship's 
side. 
The weight per superficial foot of the target was 
841 lbs. 
The results of the firing at this target are 
recorded at pp. 43, 89 of Vol. III. of the “ Pro¬ 
ceedings/' and it will therefore be sufficient here to 
state that at 200 yards range the target was not 
penetrated by spherical cast-iron shot of 150 lbs. •*- 
weight fired from a 10*5" gun with 50 lbs. of powder (the heaviest shot 
and charge used in the experiment), but, where two shot of this nature 
and weight, only fired with a 40 lbs. charge, struck close together on a 
weak spot, viz. at the junction of two plates, the skin was penetrated 
by splinters of shot and backing. The total weight of shot which struck 
the target was 3979 lbs. The chief faults which this experiment brought 
to light were 1st, the insufficient diameter of the armour plate bolts, and 
2nd, the disadvantage of tongueing and grooving armour plates; the latter 
arrangement,—which not only weakens each particular plate when struck by 
shot, but also assists in damaging the adjoining plates; and in addition 
renders it very difficult, if not quite impossible, to replace a damaged plate,— 
was, therefore, at once condemned and discontinued, whereby considerable 
extra expense is saved. All armour plates are now made with plane edges. 
Since the date of the experiments above referred to, several targets of the 
“ Warrior " construction have been fired at with various experimental guns and 
projectiles, and these experiments, which are all recorded in the “Proceedings,"* 
show that a ship of the “Warrior" construction is no longer impenetrable, 
even at 2000 yards range, when steel projectiles are used with a 600-pr. 
The “Defence," “ Resistance," “Black Prince," “Hector,” “Valiant," 
and “Achilles," are of the “Warrior" class, in so far as regards the 
thickness of armour and backing, but the three last named differ slightly 
from the “Warrior." The armour of the “Achilles" does not differ from 
that of the “ Warrior " on the main or gun deck, but is continued to the 
bow and stern below the gun deck; whilst in the “Hector" and “Valiant" 
the main deck batteries are entirely plated, but a portion at each end below 
the main deck is left unprotected. 
* Tide pp. 63, 176. 
