LAUNCH OF THE NEW TURRET-SHIP THE GLATTON.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 815, 20 May 1871, Page 3

LAUNCH OF THE NEW TUR-RET-SHIP THE GLATTON.

The launch of the Glatton on the 7th of March, marks a decided advance in the character and construction of our ships of war. She is a turret vessel of the Monitor type, and is the first of the kind built for service in the Eoyal Navy. It is, perhaps, hardly creditable that nearly ten years have elapsed since the monitor form of construction was in existence before our navy possessed a Single vessel of the kind; but it is satisfactory now to know that the Glatton is complete, and that since the Board of Admiralty determined upon her construction, several low freeboard vessels of a similar type to the Qlatton, but much more powerful, have been ordered and are now being built. The Glatton was commenced in 1868, at Chatham Dockyard, from designs by Mr- Eeed, under the authority of Mr Corry. She was founded on the American model, hut with this difference, that the errors which were found to exist in the monitors of the United States navy have been rectified in the Glatton. Although the daring inventions of Ericsson gave his country a novel and powerful class of vessels in the numerous monitors which he constructed, yet experience has wought to light many defects which detract from their capabilities both as seagoing and lighting vessels, and which are too often lost sight of by ehthu inside admirers of the monitor'sv.srcn.. In lUe Kalamazoo, which is about ihe most powerful type of turret shins hi «ie Uiuted States navy, and in the Die

tator, protection by armor-plating has been sacrificed to a serious extent to gain speed and to reduce size. Not only under water is this armor-plating reduced to a minimum, but the deck is exposed to injury from vertical fire, and the turrets are liable to be completely disabled by a chance shot. To remedy these defects was Reed's view in designing the Glatton, and was his reason for departing from the conventional form of monitor. By increasing the armor plating above the water-line, by means of a large breastwork for the protection of the turret, and by protecting the hull below the water-line with armor plates of considerable thickness, he has given the Glatton a more efficient protection than the ordinary monitors, but at the expense of her speed. In addition to this, an unusual step has been taken in plating the upper deck with three-inch iron plating. The object of this is to avoid danger from shells falling vertically upon the deck; but this protection is gaiued at the expense of increasing the armor of the ship by about 600 tons, or as Mr Reed says, by adding armor sufficient to plate the sideß of the vessel all round with 9-inch iron, and add seven feet to the free-board. Mr Reed's view was, as he has shown practically in the construction of the Devastation, Rupert, and Thunderer, that the speed lost by this additional armor should be regained by increasing the size of the vessel. In the construction of the Glatton the Board of Admiralty refused to consent to this and Sir Spencer Robinson, in a memorandum drawn up to show the position of iron shipbuilding for the Navy in 1869, while admitting that the permission by the Board to construct the' Glatton was a valuable concession, protests that she was compromised by her size. It is early yet to speak with any confidence about this vessel, for it yet remains to be proved that her stability will not be affected by the heavy breastwork which rises on each side of the hull, atid that considering how small she is for the armor she carries, she really possesses a speed of nine knots an hour. But, taking her as she stands, she is. unquestionably a most powerful vessel. Her freeboard is only 3 feet in height, and, if necessary, this can be reduced to 2 feet by the use of water ballast. Her hull above the water-line is plated with 12-inch armor, fastened on to the 20-inch teak backing, and with an inner skin plating of 1-inch iron. Below the water line the armor is reduced to 10 and 8 inch iron. There is only one turret, which is revolving, and contains two 600 pounder 25-ton guns. For the protection of this turret, which is plated with iron 14 and 12Jinches thick, and of the funnel, a breastwork rises on each side six feet above the hull. It is covered with armor-plating 13 inches thick, fastened on to 18-inch teak backing.. Thus the guns and gunners are doubly protected jjfrom accident. The turret rises seven feet above the breastwork, which allows of the guns being used with ease and freedom. The breastwork gives them the advantage of being used at almost the sama height as in a broadside vessel, but with the advantage also of leaving a smaller surface exposed. One of the most important features is that the guns have a clear range in the fore part of the vessel. This gives the Glatton a superior advantage to the Monarch and Captain, and to any of the broadside vessels ; for, although she will carry masts, they will not obstruct the range of the guns towards the bow. She is double-bottomed, like most of the ships designed by Mr. Reed, and the bulkheads between the inner and outer sides of the ship can be used for water ballast. In addition to her guns she carries an enormous ram, which protrudes eight feet from the stem, and could be used on an emergency with great effect. These are the principal features of this remarkable [ship, which is the first of a series of low freeboard turret ships now being constructed for the Navy.