IRONCLADS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XL, Issue 205, 21 August 1876, Page 2

IRONCLADS.

A correspondent of the Border Watch writes : — Ironclad ships have not yet been half eeverely tested, and may ultimately prove failures. They cannot be good sea boats, and their turrets—their main stay and dependence — may in a moment be tendered worse than useless by having their power of revolution destroyed or suspended. The experiments on the Glatton are no criteria to judge from, because she was at re3t in smooth water, and her turrets were stationary during these experiments, and it seems unnatural to nearly sink a ship to get her into ''fighting trim." If ironclads can be made as " handy " as Captain Panter insinuates, how does it occur tbat a coal barge or a "billy boy" could have easily beat the Cerberus on her run out to here? It is not so necessary as Captain Panter seems to think for an enemy to enter Hobson'a Bay; because he could blockade it or enter Portland or many other bays, and thereby cripple the colony. The top weight borne by all turret ships would, if they had been in Colliogwood's fleet off Trafalgar, have sunk every man jack of them, and there is not an iosurance office in Clachnaharry that would give the Cerberus a policy to Sydney and back in winter. Sde does very well for carrying the Ministry on picnics, amidst the roar of champagne corks, to the Indented Heads in summer time; but if ever she gets alongside of an antagonistic " line of battle " in a heavy sea she might possibly get her turrets too far down to be pleasant. I have no faith in ironclads, nor in anything unnatural, and I think the best thing men can do is to live in peace and Dot require them. If the whole world was formed into one great republic of United States, which is not impossible, Captain Panter with Ihe Cerberus might go in pursuit of St. George and the Dragon.