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Unarmoured Ships.
privateers or cruisers, few perhaps in number, but roaming at large over the ocean, individual power will not compensate for insufficiency of numbers. In January 1865, there were in the United States Navy 671 ships in commission, the greater number of which were employed in blockading the coasts of the Southern States. Doubtless the blockade might have been more strictly maintained by a smaller number of more efficient ships. But, as the most powerful vessel has not the property of ubiquity, there must be a limit, beyond which increased power and speed cannot adequately compensate for loss of numbers.
ArmamentA few observations may here be made on the subject of guns. Ever since the introduction of steam, armament has been sacrificed more and more to speed, reliance being placed on the superior calibre of the guns, as a compensation for the reduction in their number. The increase of calibre is, however, attended of necessity with many serious disadvantages. The fire is slower, the number of guns is much reduced, perfect accuracy of aim cannot be insured; and, where the number of shots is limited, there is less chance of hitting an enemy, and greater loss whenever a shot fails to take effect. The policy laid down in the report of the French Commission of 1824 is as true to-day as it was fifty years ago. The power of a ship cannot be determined by the weight of metal discharged in a single broadside. It would be more correct to say that the power is directly proportionate to the weight of metal which can be fired in a given period of time. For