Navies of the world

by Edward W. Very

HOTSPUR. RUPERT.

Armored rams. The armor-belt completely encircles the hull and is carried down in a curve forward below the point of the ram. Each vessel is provided with a breastwork and single turret. That of the Hotspur is fixed and has four ports, the gun being worked on a turn-table. That of the Rupert is of the Coles type of revolving turret. The breastwork surrounds the foot of the turret and the smoke-stack. Both vessels have a high superstructure from abaft the turret to the stern, rising two thirds the height of the turret, and each carries a stern-gun, the side being recessed at each counter for stern-fire. The Hotspur carries an armored pilot-house on top of her turret; the Rupert has two, one on each side, abaft the turret in the dead-angle. At present the turret of the Hotspur is being changed to a revolving one like the Rupert’s.

HOTSPUR.

PRINCE ALBERT.

Four-turreted monitor. This ship has a wooden hull, having been cut down from a line-of-battle ship. Her armor-belt encircles her hull and she has no breastwork; her Coles turrets being protected about their lower parts by the armored deck. This vessel is only fit for harbor defence.

SCORPION. WYVERN.

Armored belt, double-turreted iron-clads with full sail-power. These vessels are high sided, the high rail between the fore and mizzen masts dropping to unmask the turrets. The armor-belt encircles them. They have strengthened ram bows, a long, high forecastle extending to the fore-mast and making a dead-angle for the forward turret, and a high poop to the mizzen-mast, making a dead-angle for the after turret. The fore and main masts are tripod masts. These vessels are bark rigged, with full sail-power, and when their side rails are up they have the appearance of ordinary corvettes. They were built for the Confederates during the war of the American Rebellion.

VIPER. VIXEN. WATERWITCH.

Casemated gun-boats. These vessels have rectangular casemates about the boilers and engines ([see Inflexible]), the forward bulkhead rising above the spar-deck level, and being provided with two ports for bow-fire. They are only intended for bow-fire and end-on attack. The Waterwitch is a double-ender, having steering-gear at each end, and at present, instead of steam boilers and engines, she has a hydraulic motor.