Perhaps the most important advantage over the paddle introduced by the screw is, that whereas the machinery of a paddle ship unavoid ably exposes her main shaft and cranks and connecting rods to an enemy's shot, from their necessary elevation above the centre of gravity of the floating mass, the machinery for the screw and its main shaft admit of being placed below the water-line, and close to the keelson ; while, again, the necessity for finer lines and greater length of hull in a screw ship produce an additional apace, which generally suffices for the engine and fuel, without any decrease of stowage for provisions and stores.
The success of the Rattler encouraged the construction of a fine screw frigate, tho Arrogant, launched in 1848, mounting 46 guns, and of the burden of 1872 tons. This ship may be said to be the pioneer of a new system, as regards frigates, for in 1852 was launched the Intim:dense, the first of a heavy class of frigates which are now the pride of the service. This fine ship is armed, like her successors, with 51 guns (50, and a pivot gun), and is of the burden of 2347 tons.
The year 1852 is also remarkable as being that in which the Leopard, the last (and it is supposed to be the best) of all our paddle steamers, was brought into the service : and also because in that year the first screw line-of-battle ship of two fighting decks was introduced, in the Agamemnon, the first of the Ora, being of 3074 tons, to correspond with which several of our three-deckers have since been cut down and similarly armed.
In the same year also the class of 21-gun corvettes, with one flush fighting deck, first made its appearance in the Highflyer, being of 1153 toes, and armed with 68's. 'rho Scylla and others are of this class; but as war steamers the class will probably be allowed to wear out.
The superior speed of steamers, and the regularity with which voyages could be performed, threw upon the hands of the admiralty a large fleet of sailing-ships, the biggest of which in a calm would scarcely be a match for a screw-corvette of the present time. Although it must be borne in mind that the one important and only available test of the value of a steam fleet had been happily withheld ; although the world has yet to learn the details and the horrors of an engagement between steam fleets; the judicious, though gradual increase in the number of screw-propellers used in the navy, seems in a measure to have cleared the political horizon of many threatenings and misgivings as,to our continued superiority. The old English patriot again may breathe freely when he contemplates the apparently full-rigged line of-battle ship, fitted with screw-propeller, and differing nothing in appearance from the old " walls" on which his youthful gaze dwelt with confidence and pride.
Enough for our purpose has been said of the general events which attach to the past of the naval force of Great Britain. We nuw consider its present condition, first presenting a condensed view of the forces of all the navies of the world, as compiled principally from Hans Busk's and other elaborate works on the subject, for the year 1859.
The naval force of Great according to the Navy List of July, 1800, is as follows Ships.
In the effective llst we have of all sizes end arms . . 572 Gun-boats, of which 59 are used as tenders, &c. . . 164 Ships and yawls In harbour service . . . . 125 Cutters, Ike., used as coast-guard lenders . . . 47 Total . 905The total number of 908 ships does not include Admiralty lighters, boys, and various small craft employed in coasting and about the Royal Dockyards.
The number of seamen and marines voted for the navy in the ses sion of 1860, was 84,100. In addition, a reserved volunteer force of seamen to the number of 30,000, was provided by the 22 & 23 Viet., cap. 40, passed in the session of 1859.
The engineers of the navy consist of 8 inspectors of machinery, of whom 5 arc afloat; 139 chief engineers ; 6 acting first•class iu charge; 148 first-class assistants; 207 second-clam ; and 530 third class.
All mere abstracts regarding maritime forces must be defective, unless the number of guns, weight of metal (distinguishing solid shot from shells), the speed of ships, the stowage, the steering qualities, spread of canvas, &c., be taken into consideration. The preceding tables will, however, show as accurately as necessary our relative posi tion. Such diversities of build and equipment so much affect the specific numbers under each head, that at best we can only obtain general notions. The vagueness of the terms frigate and corvette must be remembered. We have now the elements of a magnificent navy,—one that will no longer be mistaken for a mere steam fleet depending on fuel. It has been during the past twenty years loudly and industriously circulated throughout Europe, with evident satis faction to some of the nations of Christendom, that the glory of England was on the wane—that her prestige was gone—that steam had levelled her to the scale of other countries possessed of coal and iron, and that steam had bridged over the Channel. But a sight of the above tables ought to induce a belief that the sovereignty of the seas is still in our bands.