ADDRESS OF SIR WILLIAM H. WHITE, PRESIDENT,CJIinutes of ADDRESS OF SIR WILLIAM H. WHITE, PRESIDENT. p i n u t e a of 83 lbs. In 1670 the LLSovereign of the Seas," 168 feet long, 48.3 feet broad, 1,640 tons burden, carried 100 guns, the heaviest projectile weighing 60 lbs. This was a design severely criticised by naval experts of the period. The masters of Trinity House declared that the construction of a three-decker was beyond the art or wit of man," and that there was no port, ' L the Isle of Wight only " excepted, in which she could ride, and no groundtackle which would hold her. These prophecies were falsified. Phineas Pett, who designed her, was exceptional in being a Cambridge graduate as well as a shipbuilder, and obviously understood his business. He estimated the cost a t 513,680; unfortunately the actual cost approached 541,000, representing probably over 5300,000 a t present values. There is no record of any investigation of the discrepancy between estimate and expenditure, but Pett connected it with "certain extraordinary charges of new building of dwelling-houses in Woolwich Yard," which he doubted not were brought upon the charge of the ship." There seems to have been no Auditor-General i n those early days.Nelson's flag-ship a t Trafalgar, the '' Victory," still lying in Portsmouth Harbour (with some of the original structure remaining, no doubt) was built in 1765. She was 186 feet long, 5 2 . 3 feet broad, of 2,164 tons burden, first cost about 2,70,000, carrying 100 guns on three decks; the heaviest projectile weighed ADDRESS OF SIB WILLIAM H. WHITE, PRESIDENT.CMbuf.86 of advantages of the material were demonstrated by the behaviour of the " Great Britain " when ashore in Dundrum Bay (1846). Two light iron steamers built for the East India Company were successfully employed in the war with China (1842), and a few years later several iron screw-frigates were ordered for the Royal Navy ; but after a long series of experiments with targets representing the sides of these vessels, it was decided to turn them into transports. This decision appears to have been based upon the greater L ' splintering " of the iron sides when struck by solid and hollow spherical shot, as compared with wood sides. On the other hand, it was found that iron plating exceeding 3 inch in thickness broke up shell from the heaviest guns then afloat. This undoubted advantage was not considered to counterbalance the '' splintering " ; and the greater danger of wood ships taking fire, when attacked by shells, was not duly estimated. So wood remained in possession as the material for hulls of warships up to 1859. The question of adequate supplies of suitable timber had become acute long before this. Purveyors were searching far and wide in foreign countries, as well as a t home, and anxious questionings arose as to the provision of stocks for use in case of war. Foreign countries with home-grown timber in abundance had an enormous advantage. The outlook was serious.In the mercantile marine much greater progress was made in the use o...
