Iron frigate sheathed with wood and coppered. Straight bow, round stern. Rail cut back on each side of the bow-sprit to permit bow-fire. Gun-deck battery composed of ten 9-inch rifles in broadside, the ports being very widely spaced. Long topgallant forecastle and flush aft. Spar-deck battery composed of six 7-inch rifles. One bow-gun under the forecastle working in four ports (one each side ahead and one each side abeam), the gun being transported from one to another by turn-tables. One stern-gun working on turn-tables in three ports (one astern and one on each quarter). The remaining four guns are arranged as pivots, so that all may be used on one side if desirable. They secure in pairs amidships. The ports for these guns are cut in pairs forward and abaft the gun-deck ports. The strength of fire of this ship is: ahead, one 7-inch; abeam, six 7-inch, five 9-inch; astern, one 7-inch. The stability of this ship being originally deficient, part of her double bottom was filled with 180 tons of cement, thus reducing her estimated speed nearly one knot. Her coal supply permits steaming 2160 miles at a speed of ten knots. Greatest speed attained at sea for twenty-four consecutive hours, 15½ knots. SHAH. RALEIGH. Iron frigates sheathed with wood and coppered. General type similar to the Inconstant. The gun-deck battery of the Shah is a broadside one of sixteen 7-inch rifles and two 64-pdrs., the latter being just forward of the cabin bulkhead (separated from the main battery). The spar-deck battery consists of one 10-inch rifle under the topgallant forecastle, working in the same manner as the Inconstant’s; one 10-inch rifle stern-gun working in two ports, the quarter-rail being recessed for the purpose, so as to get stern and beam fire; six 64-pdrs. in broadside (two forward and two abaft the gun-deck battery, and two abreast the after smoke-stack). The Raleigh’s battery is similar to the Shah’s in arrangement, but is smaller in number. (Fourteen guns on gun-deck; six on spar-deck.) [Illustration: SHAH.] BOADICEA. BACCHANTE. EURYALUS. Iron-sheathed frigates of the same general type as the above. The battery is all under cover; the broadside battery being entirely on the gun-deck, the bow-gun under the topgallant forecastle, and the stern-gun in the spar-deck cabin. The Boadicea has a straight stem, the other two ram bows. In order to permit the latter arrangement the wood sheathing was covered with zinc in place of copper, to allow of direct connection with the iron ram without danger of galvanic action. ROVER. ACTIVE. VOLAGE. First-class corvettes, iron sheathed with wood. Of the same general type as the Inconstant, except that the battery is all carried on the spar-deck. Strength of fire: Ahead—Rover and Active, one 7-inch; Volage, one 64-pdr. Abeam—Rover, two 7-inch, eight 64-pdrs.; Active, three 7-inch, two 64-pdrs.; Volage, ten 64-pdrs. Astern—Rover and Active, one 7-inch; Volage, one 64-pdr.