Armour, Naval. The idea of using armour for ironclads is about 86 years old, and dates from the introduction of guns capable of horizontal shell fire. In 1821 a French commission was appointed to consider the question of armour-clad vessels, but decided it to be impracticable, and nothing was done until the Crimean War, when the first armoured vessels were built in France for the purpose of attacking the Russian shore batteries in the Black Sea. None of these were sea-going vessels, and it was not until 1857 that Napoleon III., with Dupuy de Lôme, began a new era of naval construction, with the seagoing frigate Gloire, the frame of which was built of wood and plated with iron. In December, 1860, the first British sea-going ironclad Warrior was launched; her displacement was 9,000 tons, and less than twothirds of her length was armoured. The Black Prince followed in 1861, both vessels being built of, as well as armoured with, iron, the superior strength and lasting qualities of which soon drove wood, as a constructive material, out altogether. In 1873 the Minotaur was launched, a vessel of 10,300 tons, armoured throughout her length, except at the bow, and armed with breech-loading rifled guns.

In 1867

the turret system, in which the guns were carried on a turning platform, protected by an armoured ring, was applied to the Captain and Monarch. The Hercules, in 1868, with 9 in. armour, was an example of the belt and battery system; she was only armoured to the main deck, except that the armour was carried up to the upper deck, where it was necessary to protect the big guns carried in her central battery. In 1871 the Devastation, with 12 in. armour, represented a revolution in design, for she had twin-screws, and depended entirely on steam propulsion; the horizontal armour of her main-deck was a new feature, which materially increased weight and cost. So the increase went on until the Inflexible, launched in 1876, bore some armour which was as much as 24 in. thick. She was of the central citadel type; her armour was concentrated for about one-third of her length, the fore and aft protection being a steel deck. This vessel was severely criticized, and it was urged against her that her unarmoured ends might be freely penetrated; but in 1894, at the battle of Ya-lu, two Chinese ships of the same type were exposed to fire all day, and in the evening were able to follow up the Japanese fleet when it withdrew. While she was being constructed, compound armour was introduced and applied to her in certain positions, which marked the beginning of the complete supersession of iron by steel. Nearly all battleships built between 1880-90 had compound armour-i.e., armour with

ARMSTRONG

In

a hard steel face and soft iron back. In the Majestic 1894, Harveyized steel was employed, which was made by a mixture with steel of small proportions of other metals, notably nickel. Her plating was 7 in., and was equal to 15 in. of iron. She was a return to the belt system, and had a large protected area. the Formidable, a modern addition to the Majestic, the armour was carried forward to the bow, and with this increase of armoured area there was another quality of armour plate, the latest and best which is known as " Krupp " armour. The necessary thickness was therefore decreased, and instead of 24 in. wrought iron armour, 12 in. compound, or 7 in. Harveyized steel, 5 in. Krupp steel was substituted. At the present day 12 in. Krupp steel armour plates are the thickest used, and these only in such vessels as the Dreadnought and her class; the major part of the armour of most of the battleships in the British and foreign navies being about nine inches.

Refer to Very's "Navies of the World"; Very's "Naval Construction"; Browne's "Position of British and Foreign Armour "; Brassey's "Naval Annual."

Armoured Vessels. See Armour, Naval.

Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., Ltd., Sir W. G Elswick and Walker.

The Elswick shipyard has a frontage on to the River Tyne of about 2,300 feet, and berth accommodation is provided in the yard for the building of ten vessels at the same time. Three of the berths, which have been specially piled and strengthened to receive exceptionally large and heavy war-vessels, are capable of taking vessels up to 650 ft. in length and 90 ft. in breadth. Lines of rail intersect the yard and run alongside each of the berths, whilst locomotives with cranes for light lifts and heavy travelling cranes to lift large castings, etc., are constantly employed in and about the shipyard.

The machinery shed, containing punching, shearing, drilling, bending and planing machines, has a length of 1,000 feet, and in it are found the most upto-date appliances for dealing quickly with ship plates and other work.

In the centre of the yard the angle smith and angle turning shops, with furnaces for heating angle bars and plates, are situated; at the east end a very complete sawmill, with timber sheds, the pattern-making shop and plumbers' shop, boat building shop, sail making loft and model making shop, are also located, and on the west side the blacksmiths' shop, fitting shop and joiners' shop, with a mould loft 300ft. in length above the drawing and general offices and general store. The latter, as well as the fitting shop, joiners' shop and mould loft, are, however, being transferred to the other end of the shipyard, where the joiners' shop will be in close and convenient proximity to the sawmill.

The whole of the machinery employed in the shipyard is electrically driven, and the installation of

ARMSTRONG

motors for producing power and light represents about 2,000 B.Hp.

Three large air compressors supply compressed air for working various portable tools throughout the yard, mains being fitted so that compressed air can be readily obtained wherever required, in the yard and on board vessels at quays.

A floating workshop has been constructed for use alongside vessels when away from the yard. This shop is fitted with various machines, a dynamo for lighting purposes, smith forge, etc., and a galley for preparing workmen's meals.

The Elswick shipyard was primarily established in 1884, for the exclusive building of warships, but during this period other vessels of special types, including several oil-carrying vessels, a cable repairing vessel, and an exceptionally finely modelled and luxuriously furnished yacht and a State barge for the Sultan of Turkey, have been constructed there.

At this yard the firm could, if required, proceed contemporaneously with the construction of ten war vessels, having accommodation for two battleships of 20,000 tons or more displacement (one of the berths recently constructed and strengthened with ferro-concrete piling could take a vessel up to 30,000 tons), one first-class cruiser of, say, 15,000 tons, and one of 10,000 tons; two second-class cruisers of 4,000 tons; two third-class cruisers or gunboats of 2,000 tons, and two torpedo-boat destroyers, or other smaller craft.

As illustrating the capacity of Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., Ltd., for warship construction, it may be stated that in 1898 no less than twenty war vessels of various types were under construction, viz., 15 at Elswick shipyard and 5 at the Walker shipyard. This extensive list comprised one first-class battleship, 12,300 tons and 14,000 Hp., two first-class cruisers, each of 9,700 tons and 18,000 Hp., two coast defence armour-clads, each of 3,400 tons and 4,500 Hp., one armoured cruiser of 7,000 tons and 18,000 Hp., eleven second and thirdclass cruisers and two torpedo-boat destroyers. The aggregate displacement of these vessels amounted to 98,000 tons, and the aggregate indicated horse-power of the machinery fitted in them amounted to 233,000. Six of the vessels, viz., one first-class battleship, one armoured cruiser, and four second-class cruisers, were launched from Elswick shipyard in that year.

In all 71 war vessels have been built at Elswick shipyard for the British Navy and for other navies of the world, viz.:

In May, 1907, there were under construction, in addition to H.M.S. Invincible, a vessel of the Dreadnought class, to be named Superb, and a 33 kt. torpedo-boat destroyer for the British Navy, as well as two first-class battleships for the Brazilian Navy.

The number of men employed in Elswick shipyard, when moderately busy, is from four to five thousand. It may be added that Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., Ltd., by arrangement with Messrs. Robert Stephenson and Co., Ltd., Hebburn-on-Tyne, have first claim to the large graving dock belonging to the latter firm, for the docking of war vessels built by the former. This dock is 710 ft. long and 90 ft. wide, and is thus capable of receiving the largest war vessels yet built or building. It will therefore be seen that the facilities possessed by the Elswick firm for the building and completion of every class of war vessel leave nothing to be desired, and are possibly such as no other private firm in the country possess.

The Walker shipyard was originally founded in 1840, and after changing hands once or twice, was reopened in 1852 by the late Mr. Charles Mitchell, in partnership with Mr. Matthew R. Bigge, of Fenham Hall, under the style of Messrs. C. Mitchell and Co. A number of interesting steamers of all types were constructed in this yard; and if one type of the many may be taken as representing a speciality, the light draft paddle steamer may be pointed to as a class of vessel of which perhaps a larger number than any other was built at that time. The relations between Mr. Mitchell and the Russian Government were very close, and in the early 'sixties Mr. Henry F. Swan went to St. Petersburg and constructed a floating battery, the Ne Tron Menya, the armoured frigate Prince Pojarski, and three armoured turret ships for the Russian Navy, in the dockyard placed at the disposal of Messrs. C. Mitchell and Co. by the Government. Amongst a large number of commercial steamers the following may be mentioned as representing very unusual types, and as pointing to the variety of work which has been characteristic of the shipyard: The Hooper, telegraph steamer, which was launched in 100 working days; the Faraday; the Pouyer Quertier, cable steamer; a floating dock formed of iron cylinders, which was built and shipped for re-erection in Batavia, and the cruisers Chao Yung and Yang Wei. In 1882 the firm of Messrs. C. Mitchell and Co., combined with that of Sir

ARMSTRONG

W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., and the style of the company became Sir W. G. Armstrong, Mitchell and Co., Ltd. After the amalgamation the cruisers Esmeralda, Naniwa Kan, Takachiho Kan, and one or two others were built in the Walker yard, but it was decided to separate the military from the commercial shipbuilding, and the Elswick shipyard was formed for carrying on the former class of work. The total number of vessels constructed in the Walker shipyard since its inau guration, under the management of the late Mr. Charles Mitchell, is 708. Although many yards can claim a considerably larger output of tonnage, it is questionable whether any shipbuilding firm can show such a record of varied work. The ice-breaking steamer Ermack, the ice-breaking ferry steamer Baikal, the ice-breaking ferry steamer Saratovskaia Pereprava, represent specimens of work which are in their way unique. The tank type of steamer for carrying petroleum in bulk owes its inception to Mr. Swan, and no less than 91 of this type have been already constructed, while it is very seldom that at least one of this class of steamer is not under construction. Passenger steamers of various kinds, turbine propelled steamers of high speed, and practically every type of vessel which a shipbuilder is called upon to design, have been turned out from this yard. Of late the whole arrangement of the yard has been altered, more land has been taken in, the old buildings have disappeared and have been replaced by modern up-to-date sheds, with all the latest appliances for carrying out rapid and economical shipbuilding.

was

Armstrong, William George, first Baron Armstrong (1810-1900). British Inventor and founder of the Elswick Works. Educated at the Grammar School, Bishop's Auckland, and on leaving articled to a solicitor, and for a number of years was engaged in active practice in Newcastle. As a boy he took considerable interest in mechanical devices and began investigations on electricity, and several of his inventions date from a time prior to his giving up the Law. In 1838 he made his first contribution to Hydraulic Engineering by inventing a Hydro-Electric Machine, and six years later invented the Hydraulic Crane, which procured for him his Fellowship of the Royal Society. The Elswick Works were originally founded for the manufacture of Hydraulic Machinery, and the first "Rifled Ordnance Armstrong Gun" did not make its appearance until 1856. They were adopted by the British Government in 1859, he was appointed Engineer of Rifled Ordnance, and 300 " Armstrong " guns were introduced into the service between 1859 and 1862; Great Britain thus originated a principle of gun construction which has since been universally adopted. In 1863 he resigned his appointment and returned to Elswick, where he developed his early idea of using steel wire for the construction of guns. The retrograde step which was taken by the British Govern

"Arm

ment in 1864, when they ceased to use the strong" gun owing to defects found in parts of the breech mechanism, which was caused by carelessness in not closing this part of the gun properly, but which might easily have been remedied, decided them to revert to the old muzzled loader, and it was not until 1880, when he once more demonstrated the superiority of breech-loading guns, that they were received back into the service. In 1863, when President of the British Association, his speech on the probable early exhaustion of our coalfields, led to the appointment of a Royal Commission to investigate the matter. Besides the Elswick Gun Foundry, he established the Elswick shipyards for the construction of steel warships, and some of the fastest ships in the British Navy have been built there. In 1897 he was raised to the peerage, his name appearing among the Jubilee honours, and became the first Baron Armstrong. He died at Rothbury, Northumberland, December 27, 1900, at the venerable age of 90, and was buried on the last day of the nineteenth century in Rothbury churchyard.

In addition to being a Companion of the Bath, he held the Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus of Italy, of the Dannebrog of Denmark, of Jesus Christ of Portugal, of Francis Joseph of Austria, of Charles the Third of Spain, of the Rose of Brazil, of the Dragon of China, and of the Sacred Treasure of Japan. He received the honorary degrees of D.C.L. from Oxford and Durham, and of LL.D. from Cambridge.

Publications: "A Visit to Egypt " (1873), " Electric Movements in Air and Water" (1897), besides many professional papers.

(cr. (b.

Armstrong, William Henry Armstrong FitzPatrick, Lord Armstrong. J.P., D.L. Northumberland. 1903.) Major Northumberland Yeomanry March 3, 1863). Married 1889 Winifred, daughter of late Sir John Adye, G.C.B. Educated Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, M.A. Cantab Hon. D.C.L., Durham. Heir, s. Hon. W. J. Montagu (b. 1892). Director of Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., and of the North-Eastern Railway. President of the North-East Coast Engineers and Shipbuilding Institution, 1894. Hon. Ass., Inst. N.A., and an Hon. Member of the Surveyors Institution.

Army and Navy Chronicle and Omnium Gatherum Established 1902. Published monthly. Price 6ď Address, III Jermyn Street, St James's, London, S.W

Army and Navy Gazette. Established 1860. Published weekly (Saturday). Price 6d. Address, 22 Essex Street, Strand, London, W.C.

Arpad. Austro-Hungarian battleship. (Trieste, 1901.)

Length 354 ft. Beam 65 ft. Maximum draught 25 ft. Displacement 8,340 tons.

Twin screw. Hp. 11,900 18.5 kts. Coal maximum 840 tons. Approximate cost £650,000.

Arpea. Italian torpedo-boat. (Odero, 1906.) Length, 165 ft.; beam, 17 ft.; draught, 7 ft.; displacement, 200 tons; complement, 30; armament, 3 3-pdr., 3 tubes; Hp., 3,000=25 kts; coal, 40 tons.

Arquebuse. French torpedo-boat destroyer. (Normand, 1902.) Length, 180 ft.; beam, 21 ft.; maximum draught, 10 ft.; displacement, 300 tons; complement, 45; guns, I 9-pdr., 6 3-pdr.; torpedo tubes, 2 15-in.; speed, 27-30 kts.

Arrest of Ship. In order to enforce the Admiralty process in rem, either party to a suit may, at any time after the issue of a writ of summons, apply for a warrant of arrest, which, however, is enforceable only so long as the res remains in territorial waters. Before a warrant for arrest can be obtained, an affidavit must be filled by the party or his agent, stating the name and description of the party at whose instance the warrant is to be issued, the nature of the claim or counterclaim, the name and nature of the property to be arrested, and that the claim or counterclaim has not been satisfied. warrant is then issued from the Admiralty registry, directed to the Marshal of the Court, authorising him or his deputy to arrest and keep under arrest the ship until further orders. The service of the warrant is effected by nailing the original to the mast, and then leaving a copy in its place. The arrest extends to all the vessel's apparel, and sometimes to her cargo, either on its account or on the account of freight due.

A

Arsenal. A magazine of military stores containing weapons of all kinds, and ammunition for the supply of the naval and military force belonging to a country. The manufacturing establishments for the Navy, and the storehouses at places like Plymouth, Portsmouth, Pembroke Docks and Chatham, are arsenals, but it has long been the custom to speak of them as dockyards. In England the term is almost exclusively applied to the factories and magazines at Woolwich, from which the Army and Navy obtain the bulk of their guns and ammunition. The principal naval arsenals on the Continent are Brest, Cherbourg, Toulon, in France; Spezia and Venice, in Italy; Cartagena, in Spain; Ludwigshafen and Kiel, in Germany; Kronstadt, with naval yards at St. Petersburg, Libau, Revel, Sebastopol and Nicolaieff, in Russia; Horten, in Norway; Karlskrona, in Sweden; and Antwerp, in Belgium. In the United States, Portsmouth, Boston, Brooklyn, League Island, Washington, Norfolk, Pensacola, Mare Island and Puget Sound.

Arson. To maliciously and unlawfully set fire to His Majesty's ships of war, arsenals, magazines, dockyards, or naval or military stores, is a felony punishable with death (Dockyard Protection Act 1772).

To unlawfully and maliciously set fire to any ship, finished or unfinished, is a felony punishable by penal servitude to the extent of life, or by imprisonment. To attempt to set fire to any ship, etc., is a felony punishable by 14 years' penal servitude, or imprisonment (Malicious Damage Act, 1861).

To set fire to vessels or works in the docks of the port of London is still punishable by death.

Every person subject to the Naval Discipline Act, 1866, who shall unlawfully set fire to any dockyard, victualling yard, or steam factory, yard, arsenal, magazine, building, stores, or to any ship, vessel, log, barge, boat, or other craft, or furniture thereunto belonging, not being the property of an enemy, pirate or rebel, shall suffer death or any other punishment mentioned in the Act (q.v.).

Artan, Louis. Marine painter of the Antwerp School. Remarkable for the dark and powerful effects he obtained in his work, the famous picture, the "North East," being a fine specimen of work.

4-12 in., 40 cal.

14-6 in.

20-12 pdr.

8-3 pdr.
6—2pdr.

Armour.
Harvey-nickel."

9 in. Belt amidships. 14 in. Barbettes.

10 in. Turrets.

14 in. Conning tower. Torpedo Tubes (18 in.). 4 Submerged. Twin screw. Hp. 14,500 18 kts. Coal maximum, 1,400 tons.

Asahiho. Japanese torpedo-boat destroyer. (Thornycroft, 1901.) Displacement, 365 tons; maximum draught, 9 ft.; complement, 60; armament, 1 12-pdr., 5 6-pdr.; tubes 2 18-in.; Hp., 6,000= 31 kts.; coal, 90 tons.

Asakase. Japanese torpedo-boat destroyer. (Kobe, 1906.) Length, 220 ft.; beam, 20 ft.; draught, 91 ft.; displacement, 375 tons; complement, 58; armament, 1 12-pdr., 5 6-pdr.; 2 tubes; Hp., 6,000=29 kts.; coal, 96 tons.

Asama. Japanese armoured cruiser. (Elswick, 1898.)

Length 408 ft. Beam 67 ft. Maximum draught 24 ft. Displacement 9,750 tons. Complement 500.

Torpedo Tubes (18 in.).

I Above water bow.

ASIA

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral of the Horn-Blend family, and akin to Tremolite, Actemolite and common Horn-Blend. The chemical composition is chiefly silica, magnesia, alumina and ferrous oxide. It occurs in delicate fibres, usually white, grey, blue or green. Though rather brittle, it can be teased out like wool, and spun and woven into cloth. It forms a fire-proof texture, and to be purified requires only to be thrown in the fire; and it is said that the Romans used to wrap the bodies of their dead in asbestos cloth, in order to keep the ashes separate from those of the funeral pile. From this property it has derived its name. The principal sources of supply are Canada, the Alpine countries, Corsica and New South Wales; it has also been found near Anglesey, Cornwall, in several parts of Scotland and the Shetland Isles. It is largely used for piston packing, and has been found to exceed in durability any material hitherto employed. It is invaluable, particularly in the case of marine engines. See Jones's "Asbestos and Asbestic."

Ash, Henry Horatio (b. Portsmouth, January 13, 1840). British naval architect. Served apprenticeship Portsmouth Dockyard. In 1881 was promoted foreman of the Devonport Dockyard. In March,

1885, appointed Assistant Constructor. In 1886 was promoted and sent to the Naval Yard at Bermuda, and in 1893 was appointed Chief Constructor in the Navy, and transferred to Sheerness. He retired at the age of 60, with 43 years' service.

Ashford, Cyril Ernest, M.A., Head Master, Osborne Royal Naval College (b. June 17, 1867). Educated King Edward's School, Berlin; Trinity College, Cambridge; 11th Wrangler, 1889; First-class in Part I. Natural Science Tripos, 1890.

Publication: "A Text-Book on Electricity and Magnetism."

Ashore. Aground on land.

Asia. North-West Transit Service steamer. Foundered between Ontario and Saute Sainte Marie, September 14, 1882; 98 lives lost.