Littell's Living Age/Volume 173/Issue 2234/Entire Armor Plating

— The Journal de la Marine of last week contains an article on explosive projectiles in the navy, from the pen of Lieutenant Weyl. The writer begins by observing that, after having to a certain measure, "uncuirassed" vessels of war, the question now arises whether it will not be necessary to cuirass them from top to bottom to protect them from the terrible effects of projectiles filled with gun-cotton, dynamite, mélinite, etc. Lieutenant Weyl then continues thus: "Every one knows the result of the experiments undertaken by the artillery of the army; they are so far advanced that we can declare that before long the French army will possess siege guns whose power of destruction will be incomparable. The naval artillery is also engaged in making experiments, which, however, are kept secret." Referring to the terrible effects of the bursting of a mélinite shell inside a vessel, the writer argues that it is indispensable to provide means for making such projectiles burst outside, and that consequently all the œvres vives, or portions of a vessel out of water, must be armored. "The armoring of the water-line will no longer be sufficient for armorclads, and we shall be obliged, perhaps, to plate even our rapid cruisers all over."