THE WORLD’S WAR-SHIPS. 
17 
These came to us in a double sense from the Americans, for not only 
did the idea of monitors for coast defence come to us from them, but 
our first two vessels of this type, the Scorpion and Wyvern, yet in the 
service, were seized and purchased by the British Government during 
the war between the North and South. Except for the sake of develop¬ 
ment it is hardly worth considering them, they have only five inches 
of armour, and have two turrets of octagonal form, each of which 
contains two 9-inch M.L.R. guns. These ships had masts and were 
fully rigged, but rolled so heavily in a sea that their heavy guns could 
not be worked. Owing to the persistent advocacy of Captain Cowper- 
Coles, they were succeeded by the Prince Albert and the Monarch, 
followed by the Captain. The former two are yet in the Navy List. 
The Prince Albert had four turrets of 10 inches of iron, her sides 
having only six inches, she had the same armament as her two pre¬ 
decessors. The turrets were placed in the middle line of the deck, 
which sloped downwards towards the water, with shifting bulwarks. 
The Monarch was over twice the size of the other three, i.e., 8300 
tons, and was an attempt at a full-masted ocean-going turret-ship. As 
can be imagined, the first difficulty in such a vessel is to place the 
guns so that their fire and arcs of training may not be interfered with 
by the masts and rigging. This Sir E. Reed here accomplished, by 
placing over the two turrets a lofty upper deck, from which the ropes 
could be worked clear of the turrets, and for keeping the standing and 
running rigging out of the way of the guns. To make up for the loss 
of right-ahead fire from the turrets, two forecastle 6’5-inch guns were 
protected with armour. The belt consisted of seven inches to six 
inches, and the turrets of 10 inches and eight inches. There is also a 
stern chaser protected with iron. No one can mistake her. The one 
solitary type of a masted turret-ship we have with one exception (the 
Neptune). Covered only by a narrow belt, with the exception of her 
sides under the turrets, she offers a good mark for even light guns to 
annoy her. 
Captain Coles not being satisfied at the joint ship of Sir E. Reed 
and himself, obtained permission for the ill-fated Captain. This put 
an end to masted turret-ships, and once masts are swept aside a 
thousand difficulties are laid. 
These later ships naturally followed the lines at first of the smaller 
vessels designed for coast defence. The earliest of this latter class 
was the Cerberus, yet in Colonial service. She is 3350 tons displace¬ 
ment and 225 feet long, with 45 feet beam. The armour-plating is 
eight to nine inches thick ; the exposed sides only three feet in height, 
and the decks shell proof. A well-armoured breastwork surrounds 
the base of the turrets, which are two in number, and contain two 
10-inch M.L.R. guns. It is the breastwork which forms the charac¬ 
teristic of this class, raising the freeboard of the ship for quite half its 
length. The Magdala and Abyssinia are similarly ships belonging to 
the Indian Marine. Although built for coast service, they accomplished 
the voyage to Bombay during the winter season without incident. 
As they are protected by armour wherever seen, there is little use firing 
at them except with guns capable of piercing them. They have been 
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