Page:The Development of Navies During the Last Half-Century.djvu/46

 about this time he states: 'I consider steamers of every description in the greatest peril when it is necessary to use broadside guns in close action; not alone from their liability to be disabled from shot striking their steam chest, steam pipe, machinery, etc., but great probability of explosion owing to sparks from funnel.' These views were shared by others; but circumstances were too strong, and slowly we began to convert our sailing navy into a steam fleet. In other respects, while retaining the two and three-decker as the embodiment of naval force, an advance was made by giving them an increased length. Whereas, in 1840, the 'Queen' was 204 ft. long, the 'Howe,' launched in 1860 as a screw three-decker, was given a length of 260 ft. This fine specimen and her sister ship the 'Victoria' were the last of that race of noble structures which we recall with regret. The first two-decker designed for the screw was the 'Agamemnon,' launched in 1852. Her length was 230 ft., while the 'Albion,' launched in 1842, was but 204 ft. long. We see the same modification in the frigates of i860. From the 'Vernon' of 176 ft., in 1832, we passed to the 'Emerald' of 237 ft., in 1856. The latter was the first ship I served in, and a prettier model it would be hard to find. She was one of a class largely represented in the service as 50-gun screw frigates, and built of wood. We were, however, impelled to a further advance in this type by the action of the United States. That country had lately been producing frigates of large dimensions, and the appearance of the 'Niagara' in the Thames during 1857 created quite a sensation