Scientific American Supplement, No. 803, May 23, 1891 — John Shaqi
Scientific American Supplement, No. 803, May 23, 1891Various
Science
Scientific American Supplement, No. 803, May 23, 1891
Various
Science -- Periodicals
Armored ships were formerly of two classes; in one the guns were
mounted in broadside, in the other in turrets. Every part of the ship
was protected with iron to a greater or less thickness. In more modern
ships the guns are mounted in an armored citadel, in armored barbettes
or turrets, the engines, boilers and waterline being the only other
parts protected. There may be said to be three systems of armor
distribution. The belt system consists in protecting the whole
waterline by an armored belt, the armor being thickest abreast of the
engines and boilers. The guns are protected by breastworks, turrets or
barbettes, the other parts of the ship being unprotected. The French
use the belt system, and our own monitors may be classed under it. The
central citadel system consists in armoring that part of the waterline
which is abreast of the engines and boilers. Forward and aft the
waterline is unprotected, but a protective deck extends from the
citadel in each direction, preventing the projectiles from entering
the compartments below. The hull is divided into numerous compartments
by water-tight bulkheads, and, having a reserve of flotation, the
stability of the ship is not lost, even though the parts above the
protective deck, forward and aft, be destroyed or filled with water.
The guns are protected by turrets or barbettes. The deflective system
consists in inclining the armor, or in so placing it that it will be
difficult or impossible to make a projectile strike normal to the face
of the plate. A plate that is inclined to the path of a projectile
will, of course, offer greater resistance to penetration than one
which is perpendicular; hence, when there is no other condition to
outweigh this one, the armor is placed in such a manner as to be at
the smallest possible angle with the probable path of the projectile.
This system is designed to cause the projectile to glance or deflect
on impact. Deflective armor should be at such an angle that the
projectiles fired at it cannot bite, and hence the angle will vary
according to the projectile most likely to be used. In the usual form
of deflective deck the armor is at such a small inclination with the
horizon that it becomes very effective. Turret and barbette armor may
be considered as deflective armor. The term inclined armor denotes
deflective armor that is inclined to the vertical. The kinds of armor
that are in use may be designated as rolled iron, chilled cast iron,
compound, forged and tempered steel, and nickel steel. Iron armor
consists of wrought iron plates, rolled or forged, and of cast iron or
chilled cast iron, as in the Gruson armor. Compound armor consists of
a forged combination of a steel plate and an iron plate. Steel armor
consists of wrought steel plates. Nickel-steel armor consists of
plates made from an alloy of nickel and steel.
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