A Terrible War Sĥip.

Cromwell Argus, Volume II, Issue 101, 17 October 1871, Page 7

A Terrible War Sĥip.

The T/m lon Dn'J'i Tehjmpli of a recent date gives tho following description of what it designates as " our strongest anl jfc ironclad":The tig]lost, strongest, an I in every way most remarkable vessel of war which at present swims tho sea, wis lamuhel, or rather ii la oil, last week at Portsmouth dockyard. Prou I as her designers may justly bo of the " Devastation." there can at 'oast be no difference of opinion about her horribly imgaiuly appearance. The original Mnut r: was compared to a cheese-box on a board; our latest iron-clad is like a butcher's tray holdiug three" or four oddly-shaped joints. Tho Royal Sovereign and Waterwiteh, which look something like the new turret-ship at a distance, were never comely ; yet they are "things of beauty" compare 1 to the Devastation. This huge floating b.ittery, with her low hull and gun towers, possesses no masts, but only two poles for signalling, fore and aft; and she has the further peculiarity of a false topside. Nevertheless, it cannot be doubted that in the new Monitor, we have the most formidable seagoing machine of war hitherto invented. Her strength lies in three chief points : —first, her massive armour; second, her mighty offensive armament ; and third ; her great capacity for carrying coal and steaming. As we have intimated, she spreads no canvas at all: the spars that helped to overturn the Captain, and all the incumbrances of single and tripod masts have been abolished : the new mo lei is stripped of everything in the way of " sticks," except the bit ot a clothes-prop planted fore and aft. Sue can carry to sea no less than 1300 tons of coals, which will feed two pairs of engines, drivin» twin screws, inlepanhnit of etch other; and with full boiler power, the force of this inr.ne tse conjoint machinery may be sot at 5o.);) horses. With such a store, and ;l t the rate of II

knots an hour, the Devastation would probab'v bo able to continue for 2» whole days—m.ikJnc .a run, if necessary, of si.e or seven thousand miles before slic had come to the bottom of her coal bunkers. Here, then, lies the chief characteristic of the new fighting skip : she can bo no cruiser, for without furd she would lio helpless • but she can rur.h forth from ,1 harbour, and whatever the wind, can make a swi't journey in any direction, dealing her tremendous blow? annihilating with her ram or enormous inn 'he enemy even on the hrrli sms, yet s'ill having fuel enough left to come back to her lair n.saore.