42S 
MINUTES OF PKOCEEDINGS OF 
I shall now pass on to a description of the “Lord Warden/ 5 
The “Lord Warden 55 is a wooden 
ship of 4067 tons, 1000 horse power, 
280 ft. long, and is to carry 24 guns. 
Her draught of water is 26 ft, 6 aft, 
and the total cost fitted for sea is esti¬ 
mated at £285,400. 
From the accompanying drawing it 
will he seen that the construction of 
this ship is as follows 
Frame timbers (A) placed continuously 
12J" thick, inner planking (F) 8" thick, 
iron skin (J3) 1J" thick, outside plank¬ 
ing ( C ) 8^" thick, and rolled armour 
plates ( D ) 4|" thick; occasional iron 
riders (F) are spaced several feet apart, 
inclined at about an angle of 45°. The 
armour plate bolts were diameter, 
one bolt to about 4 ft. superficial. The 
weight per superficial foot was about 
482 lbs. 
"^The guns used in the experiment on the target of this name were, with 
the exception of the 68-pr., all experimental, and thus no comparative result 
was obtained of the power of resistance between a structure of this nature 
and other plans. 
The target was subjected to a very severe trial, 2198 lbs. weight of steel 
and special cast-iron projectiles (chiefly the former), having struck it at 
200 yds. range with velocities varying from 1000 to 1590 ft., the heaviest 
charge used being 50 lbs. 
It must be borne in mind that the weight per superficial foot of this 
structure was largely in excess of the “Warrior, 55 and the result of the 
experiment although favourable to a certain degree to armour-clad wooden 
ships, also showed a serious defect which must arise from the use of such 
structures, whenever they are opposed to guns of sufficient power to effect 
penetration. On the one hand, it must be considered satisfactory, that a 
wooden ship like the “Lord Warden 55 can be made capable of affording 
protection against steel spherical shot of 168 lbs. weight, fired at 200 yds. 
range with 50 lbs. of powder, but on the other hand the large area of 
damage to the inner planking, and the great number of splinters of wood 
caused by the projectiles which penetrated the target, prove the great 
additional security which is afforded by the skin of an iron ship. 
* The relative damaging power of the guns was found to be as follows 
10-5" gun, with cylindrical shot 300 lbs. weight, and 45 lbs. charge. 
9- 22" 12| ton gun, with cylindrical shot 220 lbs. weight, and 44 lbs. charge. 
10 - 5" gun, with spherical shot 168 lbs. weight, and 60 lbs. charge. 
9 , 22 // 6-| ton gun, with spherical shot 114 lbs. weight, and 25 lbs. charge. 
7" gun, with cylindrical shot 100 lbs. weight, and 25 lbs. charge. 
