Page:The Development of Navies During the Last Half-Century.djvu/178

 the example of the United States, which after the Civil War constructed some fast frigates, we built the 'Inconstant' in 1866, a vessel of nearly 6000 tons, in which the high speed of 16 knots under steam was obtained. She also sailed remarkably well. As the 'Warrior,' the first ironclad, had a speed of 14 knots, it may be considered that the extra 2 knots of the 'Inconstant' fairly maintained the old relative superiority of the class to which she belonged. But this vessel was too large and costly in maintenance to be adopted as a type; so two others, the 'Active' and 'Volage,' of just over 3000 tons and 15 knots speed, were built. We then reverted to the big ship idea, and produced the 'Shah,' of 6200 tons, by which 16 knots were again obtained. Like the 'Inconstant,' she was built of iron cased with wood and coppered. The armament consisted of two 12-ton guns, sixteen 6½-ton guns, and six 64-pounders. Thus the modern frigate, like the battle ship, carried few guns, but of greater power than had hitherto been mounted in this class of ship.

If any supposed that unarmoured frigates of this size could compete with and overcome even the smallest ironclad, the idea was dispelled when the 'Shah' fought and failed to subdue the small Peruvian monitor 'Huascar.' As corroborating my previous remarks on the relative strength of the frigate and the line-of-battle ship, a brief account of this action may here be given.

In the early part of May 1877, during one of the