Page:The Development of Navies During the Last Half-Century.djvu/68

 then under construction, were fired at from a 32-pounder. The effect was most ominous. Not only were the iron splinters produced by the shot passing through the side of a destructive nature, but it was found that the shot broke up in perforating the plate, and became an additional cloud of splinters too numerous to be counted. The experiment was repeated with the addition that the iron was backed with 5 in. of oak. A similar result ensued, but wooden splinters mingled with the iron. When wood alone was tried, the splinters were trifling as compared with those from the iron. Other experiments were then carried out to see if these effects could be mitigated, but without success. The deduction was that the destructive effects of shot on iron ships could not be prevented. If the iron sides were of the thickness required to give adequate strength to the ship—as ⅝ or, at least, half-an-inch—the shot was broken up. If the plates were thinner, the ships would be deficient in strength, and though the shot might pass through without breaking up, the disc of iron driven in was broken into numerous small pieces.

These results created a great sensation. A verdict was given that iron vessels, however convenient and advantageous in other respects, were utterly unfit for purposes of war, and a committee of naval and military officers, which had been directed to report how far it might be possible to arm vessels of the packet service in case of war, rejected all constructed of iron. Many years were to elapse before this material was taken into favour again. It was even a question then whether iron steamers were