Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

c: S’:' 386 ENGINEERING WONDERS OF THE WORLD. and indeed it is usually carried about five feet below water, resting upon the protective deck, as a shot piercing a rolling vessel at or slightly below the water-line might have serious results. To provide against torpedoes and mines (which worked such terrible havoc during the Russo-Japanese war) an inner skin, form- ing a double bottom and double sides, and the most extensive water-tight subdivision pos- sible, must be introduced in order to localize any inrush of water following a successful attack. Powerful searchlights must be carried to detect an enemy’s torpedo craft approach- ing under the cover of darkness, and the smaller armament must be such as to disable a torpedo boat before she can approach near enough to discharge her deadly weapon. Torpedo net defence must also be employed; and, as a last resource, the explosives on board must be carried as far in from the sides and bottom of th© ship as possible, so that the intervening bulkheads and platforms may prevent the shock of any external explosion from affecting the contents of the magazines. The ram, it may be added, is no longer regarded as a weapon likely to be employed frequently in naval warfare, for the reason that its use against a modern battleship would be attended with almost as great a risk to the attacking as to the attacked vessel ; hence no special provision, over and above that necessitated by gun and torpedo attack, is introduced against ramming. The marvellous improvements in explosives and in the design and manufacture of guns have been, next to the introduction of steam propulsion, the most, impor- Ordnance fac£ors jn the develop- v. Armour. . , . , . ment of warship design. Ihese improvements, which have resulted in more effective gun fire being obtained with guns of smaller calibre and decreased weight, have followed each other in rapid succession, each in turn altering in a greater or less degree the conditions of naval warfare. Indeed, the evolution of the battleship has to a large ex- tent represented a duel between the ordnance manufacturer and the armour-plate maker. The first large armour-plated vessel con- structed in this country was the Warrior, laid down in 1859. She was built of iron, and had a length of 380 feet. The armour, of wrought iron, inches thick, extended for a length of 218 feet and a depth of 22 feet on each side, the ends of the ship being unprotected. This 4J-inch armour was the thickest that could then be manufactured, and it was considered sufficient to withstand the attack of the guns at that time in use. For ten years after the Warrior was com- menced, each successive class of large war- ships carried thicker armour than their pre- decessors, in order to meet the more powerful batteries which an enemy was likely to bring to bear on them. The Devastation, a special ship commenced in 1869, was so heavily protected that she had a very low freeboard, and it became apparent that in future designs either the area covered with armour would have to be reduced, or lighter armour em- ployed. In 1874 compound or steel-faced armour was adopted, in 1889 nickel steel was introduced, and in 1894 “ Harveyed ” steel was used for the first time in British war- ships. The Krupp process is the latest word in armour manufacture, and still holds its own for the principal protection of war vessels. The ventilation of the magazines of war- ships has lately been made a special study. A cool and even temperature under all con- ditions and in all climates is The ensured by means of refriger- • . ° Magazines, ating plant; and flooding ar- rangements, for use in case of fire, are fitted to all spaces where explosives are stored. To minimize further the risk of fire breaking out when the ° Features, ship is in action, the amount of woodwork is reduced to a minimum.