Page:The Development of Navies During the Last Half-Century.djvu/83

 backing. This was not found to have greater resisting power against shot than the 4½-in. plates and 18-in. backing. The armament of this class was improved by the introduction of rifled guns of greater weight than the 68-pounder. Such modifications involved a larger vessel, and the 'Minotaur' and her sisters reached 10,600 tons, a considerable advance on the ’Warrior.' While the weight of the 'Warrior's' armour and backing amounted to 1350 tons, the 'Minotaur's' protection weighed 2100 tons. As sail power was still considered necessary, these ve.ssels were given five masts. Thus equipped they presented a curious appearance, and puzzled the nautical world. It is related that a merchant vessel on one occasion approached inconveniently near one of the ’Minotaur' class at night, her great length and the five masts leading those in charge of the other to believe that there were two ships, and that their own might pass between!

It may be imagined that the change from wood to iron in construction did not find us—in our dock yards, at least—with a body of men accustomed to work with the new material, and when it was decided to build an iron ship of the 'Warrior' type at Chatham it had to be carried out by shipwrights whose previous experience had been limited to wooden shipbuilding. I have heard it said they used the same tools for the harder substance, but whether so or not the ship was completed in less time than the others, and the workmanship was excellent. All the previous vessels had been built in private yards.