If we go to unarmored ships of great tonnage and speed, we shall find these difficulties intensified; and if we pass on to the little gunboats, advocated in some quarters for attacking ironclads in a swarm, we shall find that unsteadiness of platform in a sea-way renders them a helpless and harmless mark for the comparatively accurate practice of their solitary but stately foe. The destructive power of guns is little known to the general public, and many wild statements are sometimes put forward. Guns and plates have fought their battle with varying success for many years. One day the plate resists, another day the gun drives its bolt through. But it is frequently overlooked that the victory of a plate is a complete victory. If the shot does not get through, it does practically nothing. On the other hand, the victory of the gun is but a partial triumph; it is confined to a small arc. I mean that, when the plate is struck at an angle exceeding 30° or so, the shot glances harmlessly off; while, even when perforation is obtained, it is at the expense of the more deadly qualities of the projectile, which must be a nearly solid bolt, unable to carry in with it heavy bursting charges of powder or destructive masses of balls. About six years ago, an experiment carried out at Shoeburyness taught a lesson which seems to be in danger of being forgotten. We hear sometimes that unarmored vessels are a match for ironclads and forts; and I will conclude this paper with a short extract from the official account of the results of firing shrapnel shell at an unprotected ship's side. I shall say nothing of boilers and magazines, but shall state simply the damage to guns and gunners. A target was built representing the side of a certain class of unarmored ships of war; behind this target, as on a deck, were placed some unserviceable guns, mounted on old carriages, and surrounded by wooden dummies, to represent the men working the guns. The attacking gun was a twelve-ton nine-inch muzzle-loader, of the old despised type, and the projectiles were shrapnel shell. The charges were reduced to represent the striking force at a range of 500 yards. Two rounds did the following damage inside, besides tearing and ripping the ship's side in all directions. 1st Gun.--Seven men of detachment killed. 2d Gun.--Carriage destroyed. Six men blown to pieces, all the remainder of the detachment severely hit. 3d Gun.--No damage to gun or carriage. Five men killed, one blown to bits, and one wounded in leg. 4th Gun.--Gun dismounted. The whole of the gun detachment blown to pieces. That is the amount of destruction achieved in an unarmored ship by two rounds of shrapnel shell. * * * * * OSCILLATING CYLINDER LOCOMOTIVE. This locomotive is the design of Mr. Henry F. Shaw, of Boston.