ARMOUR PLATED SHIPS OF WAR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 172, 4 June 1862, Page 6

ARMOUR PLATED SHIPS OF WAR.

[communicated.]

AnsORBKn in the devlopcnicnt of a new country, with the excitement, and rapid changes attendant- on the discovery and sue- j cessful working of goldfields, it is hardly to be expected, in a community like that of Otago, that more than a passing notice would be given to the naval actions recounted by the last mail as having been fought between vessels of the Federal and Confederate naval forces of the ci-devant United States. Yet are they fraught with lessons worthy even of our attention ; for possibly, those lessons maybe learnt by others to such purpose as to effect the possession of naval supremacy, and so not remotely concern us. It would appear conclusively from this, the first action in which ironplated rams have engaged other ships, that against their powers both of offence and defence the ordinary sailing vessels of war, at least, are of no use whatever. They are no whit better thun unarmed ships. One rush, and a succeeding broadside, from the Merriinac, destroyed the Cumberland. So absolute was the effect that the Captain of the Congress said, it was utterly useless to attempt to tight, as it could only'be attended with the loss of his own people's lives, as well asthedes- j truction of his ship, for his opponent was totally uninjured by the Cumberland's fire even at one hundred yards. He most properly, therefore, hauled down his colours, for it would have been sheer madness after the experiment made by the Cumberland, to court its re-en-actment on his own ship, and the consequent loss of many valuable lives in a completely hopeless 'contest. Henceforth, then, no sailing vessel will attempt to engage an iron-plated one, but it remains to be seen how far swift steamers, armed .with the most powerful rined guns, though without armour to protect themi would be able to bent off or escape from iron-plated batteries. The latter vessels have hitherto not jbeen able to attain grout speed, and their steerage j is saic! to be very wild, even when they an- | swer the helm at all. These two grievous I faults will, of course, till remedied, materially ' lessen their powers of offence against fast steam-vessels easily steered ; but, as they can stand almost any amount of hammering, will not greatly diminish their capacity for defence. It is true that for some considerable time our admiralty have been •.•xperhnenting under the immediate superintendence of that most able gunnery officer, Captain Hewlett, C. 8., of the Excellent, as to the defensive powers of ironcoated vessels, and from time to time our contemporaries have recorded the destruction of this or that target, representing the section of an armour-coated ship's side ; but we must remember that in these experiments the conditions in many respects differed from those of actual warfare." The target wns but a section of a ship's side, and. consequently, lacked the advantage —probably not small —given by the arched form of an entire vessel. The target also, was generally placed either ashore or""on the mud." in" both these positions lacking the elastic cushion that a vessel obtains from the water she floats.in ; thus affording far more opportunity lor the exertion of the destructive force of the ball, a considerable portion of the power of which would be expended in overcoming the elasticity of the water in the case of a vessel afloat. We are not told, in this particular action, whether the ram sustained the fire of any but ordinary artillery ; and a broadside or two from any guns, received stem on in her rush, were not likely to injure her. In action with another vessel, a ram with her pent-house roof of armour, not onlydoesnot,as of old,fear being raked,but absolutely courts her enemy's fire in this position ; and, relying°principally upon the power of her projecting prow, she only uses her guns to complete the destruction of her disabled opponent. Engaging; however, a vessel of her own class, her peculiar prow would avail her less, and when opposed to " stone wa11.0," would of course be useless ;so that, in both those ca°es, she would have to rety upon the superior destructive force of her own guns and her defensive armour. It is clear too, that though fast war steamers may, from their speed, escape her, one such vessel could effectually raise the blockade of a port; acting, as she would be from a friendly port, and able to run in at any time for shelter and supplies. Had the Merrimae been read}', she might easily have sunk " the stone fleet'1 destined for the destruction of Charleston Harbour at a harmless distance from the entrance. Unless she is outmatched by some similar Federal vessel, we shall probably hear she has rendered tlic blockade utterly and ostentatiously noneffective, and therefore find it no longer recognised by France and England. Nay, more, she may render the position of some of the Federat land forces that have invaded the South not a little precarious, should she give the Confederates the command of the sea. Isolated on the coast, cut off from their supplies, ■in a hostile country, which would quick]}' be rendered unfit to sustain an army, after a little delay these Federalist detachments would be an easy prey to the Confederates. The co-mm nd of the sea led to their despatch, and is necessary to their safety. The North seems full}- alive to the vast importance to be attached to this vessel, for we learn that Congress, immediately on hearing of the action, voted 14,000,000 dollars for the construction of armour coated shi) s; yet, with all the vast manufacturing resources of the North, such vessels cannot be created in a day. The Federal cause, solar as their present attack on the South is concerned, will be decided with the aid of their present marine only, and it will be interesting to see whether they have a match for the Merrimac, and to watch her movements. We have our Warrior, our Defence, Black Prince, and several other vessels of the same class building. .The French are little, if at all, behind us—indeed Louis Napoleon led the way in their construction. We may be sure the lesson of the Merrimae and Cumberland will not be lost either on the Emperor or on our own adrniralt}', nor will its consequence be vmheeded by the two nations. If it be true, as seems generally acknowledged at home, that the Emperor is impatient to break the blockade of the Southern ports, the Merrimac may soon afford him an unanswerable pretext. Will she confine herself to raising the Southern blockade, or has we hear of her heating up the quarters of the Northern ports, and retaliating on theni some of the injuries inflicted on Charleston ? Under her wing, the Snmter class may drive a thriving trade in prizes off Boston and New York. What premium will be sufficient to •cover the war-risk consequent .011 the possible or probable effects of this new and tremendous^engine of modern war?

GnKEKPATKiOTisjr.—Great as the ecclesiastical lifcrary, and commercial influence of the Greek race ■really was in European Turkey, the events of the Greek Revolution showed that the influence of Greek nationality had been greatly overrated by the Greeks themselves. Even in the Greek Church, ecclesiastical interest was more powerful than national feeling. : A large part of the. Greek nation made but .feeble , efforts to: aid their countrymen when struggling'for -:,<independence.':'The literary powcraofthe teamed; :;t crertted .a loud echo of patriotism; but thousands, of. -,'■■■, wealthy Greeks,, .continued to pursue their own schemes of interest, and .profit, under the protection, of the Sultan's Government, during the whole jierfod of the Greek Revolution.— History of the Greelt Revolution. By George Finlay, LL.J).