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 Again, in his report of 1871, Admiral Porter said: 'Our naval vessels have in but very few instances developed high speed, 8 knots being the general average, while only a few ships have attained a speed of 12 knots. In the French and British Navies, on the other hand, 14 and 15 knots are almost invariably attained in the iron and wooden vessels built within the past four years.'

It was a needless alarm which led to the construction of the 'Inconstant,' the 'Blonde,' and the 'Raleigh,' which, whatever their merits, were far more costly than any vessels previously designed solely for engaging small unarmoured cruisers or for destroying defenceless merchantmen.

The original estimate for the 'Shah' was in round figures, 200,000l.; the estimate for the 'Raleigh' was 180,000l. How far the estimate for this latter vessel has exceeded the sum originally contemplated, it will, I fear, be painful for the dockyards of Chatham and Portsmouth to reveal.

One serious defect in the 'Raleigh ' class arises from the exposed situation of the machinery and boilers. It has not been possible to place the latter as completely below the water-line and under the protection of the coal-bunkers, as in the wooden screw frigates. The comparatively exposed position of the machinery in the new vessels is the more serious now that steam is used at the high pressure ordinarily maintained in the modern compound engines. A projectile striking the boiler, when steam is carried at