able vessel; the latter represented the Admiralty idea of a turret-ship, proved an admirable sea-goer, and was greatly praised in the United States, to which she had the honour of conveying the remains of Mr. Peabody. The Bullfinch, screw gun-vessel, was launched in 1868 at Sheerness; besides which ten ships were reframed and refitted there during the financial year, exclusive of Steam Reserve, etc. The Snipe was also broken up. The Penelope, completed this year, was the first important ironclad fitted with twin screws, and is noteworthy as the forerunner of a long line of twin screw battleships.* It should, however, be observed that the Penelope was fitted with a double stern, having two stern posts and two rudders, a plan which was not repeated in later twin screw vessels. solid with additional teak-backing, and inside this there is an iron skin inch thick, supported by a set of vertical frames 7 inches deep. The total protection, therefore, of the most vital part of the ship, in the region of the water-line, consists of the following thicknesses of iron and wood: Outside armour, 9 inches; then 10-inch teak-backing, with longitudinal girders at intervals of about 2 feet, worked upon 1-inch skin-plating, supported by 10-inch vertical frames spaced 2 feet apart; the spaces between these frames are filled in solid with teak, and inside the frames there is a further thickness of about 19 to 20 inches of teak, the whole being bounded. on the inside by inch iron-plating stiffened with 7-inch frames. The total thickness of iron (neglecting the girders and frames) is, then, 11 inches, and of this 9 inches are in one thickness. The teak-backing has a total thickness of about 40 inches. The trial at Shoeburyness of a target constructed to represent this part of the ship's side proved that it was virtually impenetrable to the 600-pounder gun; and perhaps no better idea of the increase of the resisting-power of the sides of our ironclads can be obtained than that derived from a comparison of the 68-pounder gun, which the Warrior's side was capable of resisting, with the 600-pounder tried against the Hercules' target. Captain Eardley-Wilmot, R.N. T CHAPTER XXV. THE RELIEF OF SHEERNESS. HE year 1869 was one of a most important and interesting character as regards Sheerness, in reference to our national interests and its own fortunes. We have already seen that alarm had been excited the preceding year in the Dockyard and towns by a rumour that the Yard was to be closed; and that emphatic public testimony had been borne by Admiral Sir B. W. Walker, K.C.B., Commander-in-Chief, to the great and unequalled value of the port. That testimony was repeated by Sir Baldwin, and was reiterated by Admiral Sir W. King Hall, K.C.B., Superintendent of the Yard, on the occasion of the retirement of those officers early in 1869, on the expiration of their respective periods of service, when each was presented with a public address.*"Sheerness," said Sir Baldwin, " from its position, * "No naval commander deserves to be more honoured by his country than Admiral Sir W. King Hall. We lately had the gratification of hearing him address a meeting at Wood Green, and, with the hope that his words will lead other naval officers and their crews to follow the good example of Sir William, we give a portion of the speech referred to: 'When in command of H.M.S. Russell at Falmouth, there was a great deal of drunkenness in the ship, and in consequence a great deal of crime and punishment. This arose from the numerous temptations which abound in that port, Falmouth being a port of call, where ships touch for orders; and on one occasion I counted as many as 400 sail at anchor at one time. The place abounded in public-houses and beershops, and the inducements of temptation caused much leave-breaking. At the commencement of my second year in command, the day after New Year's Day, I turned the hands up, and, with the defaulters' book in my hand, read the punishments of the first year, including many committals to Bodmin Gaol, cells, etc. More than two-thirds were from drink. This surprised the men very much. I then said: "I know nothing about temperance, but you see all this disgrace and punishment and misery to some of your families is due to drink. If we give up the drink this cannot happen. If you consent to give up your allowances of grog, and avoid all public-houses and beershops, and drink nothing but water for the next three months, and sign must always be an important port. It is the advanced port between two great streams, the one conveying a vast trade to our capital, the other leading to large arsenals at Chatham. your names, and bring the list up to me, I will agree to give up my wine, and head that list with you. Take forty-eight hours to consider it, but when you've made up your minds, stick to it." In a few hours a party of those men who had been most often under punishment signed the list, and we started our teetotal party. The publicans were surprised, when the men landed, to see some of their best customers pass by the doors, and, much to my delight, I was a witness of it. At the end of three months I again turned the hands up on the quarter-deck, and said: "I have kept my pledge; now, how many of you have broken yours? You all know each other well, so there can be no deception about it." To my great surprise, they said one and all that none had broken it, and thirty more men came across, saying: "I'll join your party, too." I may also state that to my certain knowledge some have kept it up to this day, though it is now about twelve or thirteen years ago. I heard from one some years ago, whilst a severe epidemic of yellow fever was raging in Jamaica, stating he was firm in his principles of total abstinence, and had been the means of making many others join. "I shortly afterwards removed to Sheerness Dockyard as Superintendent, and there, as is frequently the case, many of the best workmen were inclined to drink; and on my leaving, great was my gratification to hear, according to their statement, as contained in an address, accom panied by a present of Kitto's Bible, that my influence and example had been the means, by God's blessing, of assisting many to give up drink, and produced happiness in their families. Soon after I became AdmiralSuperintendent of Devonport Dockyard, assisting by example and precept many who required help to break their drinking habits; and as everyone exercises an influence either for good or evil, I felt it a great privilege to have been directed to take up that cause for the benefit of many poor fellows whose greatest enemy is drink. If only the poor drunkards took the pledge, they would become marked men; but by those who can withstand temptation standing in the same rank with them, confidence and comfort are given them. I enter into no arguments about the miracle our Saviour performed at Cana of Galilee, or Paul's advice to Timothy, or any of the hackneyed doctrines about "the good things of God." I see and feel that there is a vast amount of crime, ruin, and punishment, misery in families, wife-beating, and desertion of children, arising from drink; and, on the other hand, a great amount of happiness, health, and contentment for those who abstain; and if I, in my humble endeavours, can assist in reducing the former and adding to the latter, I feel it to be a privilege and honour, and a duty to do it, and believe that God will approve and bless all those who for His sake work in this cause. Before leaving Devonport we established a Band of Hope among the sons of the artificers of this establishment, which numbers now upwards of 300, and on quitting my command I had the pleasure of knowing that my efforts in the cause of temperance had not been in vain. "Many officers have, like myself, for the sake of the men under their command, adopted the principle of total abstinence; and among these I would mention my shipmate and friend, the late gallant officer and Christian man, Commodore Goodenough.' "Since the foregoing was written, Admiral Hall has been appointed (in September last) Commander-in-Chief at the Nore.". Weekly Welcome (1878). -- These arsenals, however, cannot from the difficulty of their approach render Sheerness less necessary, especially in time of war, for it possesses immense advantages from the ease with which it can be approached at all times, enabling a squadron to obtain immediate supplies of coals, provisions, and stores, and to make good defects; it is, in fact, the only port a North Sea force would have to fall back upon, Yarmouth and Deal being both open roadsteads." Admiral Sir W. King Hall, K.C.B., our Superintendent, said "he thought any man who would wish to shut up Sheerness Dockyard must be a lunatic. It would be one of the most serious blows ever struck at the Royal Navy. He should live in the hope of seeing its claims as a Dockyard and Naval Station more fully recognised than they ever had been. With the outburst of war in the North of Europe, its absolute necessity as a naval port would be at once apparent." He further observed that "the Great Eastern was in the harbour taking in her cable, and the Bermuda Dock was there completing her fittings. No other place in the kingdom could have done it; and he affirmed that Sheerness Dockyard could never be abolished, because of the great facilities and accommodation it was capable of affording."* Meanwhile, the efforts of the inhabitants to promote the well-being of the town were continued. In February, 1869, about a dozen bathing-machines were in use. It was acknowledged that in every bathing season hundreds of visitors came to Sheerness to bathe,† and went away dis A public writer on this subject observes: "The question of the policy of building ships for the Royal Navy by contract affects Sheerness less than it does any other Yard. Contract-built ships notoriously require repair sooner and to greater extent than those built in Government Yards; hence, to dispense with the most convenient repairing Yard on this part of the coast would be a very improbable step, because this failing in contract-built vessels of all kinds is proved by the testimony of the Yard officers unanimously. But all ships require repair more or less frequently and extensively. It is also maintained, with a good show of proof, that even contract-built hulls can be fitted out both better and cheaper in the Royal Yards. From these facts it must appear probable that no Dockyard can be worse spared, looking to the efficiency of the service generally, than that of Sheerness." "No less than 5,975 persons took sea-baths from the Company's machines last season, being nearly 2,000 more than the bathers of 1867, or an increase of nearly 50 per cent. Of these fully one half, or 3,000 persons, were visitors, who were induced to visit Sheerness by the attrac tion of sea-bathing."-Sheerness Guardian, 13th February, 1869. appointed because the tide was low or the number of machines insufficient. It was now purposed to provide closed and covered swimming-baths on the beach, available at all times of the year and of the tide and in all weathers, lit by gas at night, and warmed to a tepid temperature by steam-pipes in cold weather, thus extending the sea-bathing season indefinitely. (The sea-bathing was, indeed, the backbone of Sheerness, as it was of excellent quality.) The erection of commercial docks, for which Sheerness was well fitted, was also proposed. It was further suggested that an Exhibition of the products and trade of the Isle of Sheppey should be held (an old idea, but one which it had been thought impossible to carry out from the want of a suitable building, but for which the new Public Rooms -affording an area of 120 feet by 100-and Victoria Hall would give adequate space). Such an Exhibition, it was considered, might be made very attractive, as it would include wool, wheat and other cereals, fruit, roots, wildflowers, grasses, and seaweeds, geological specimens of ancient products, and trade samples, to which might be added-what would perhaps be yet more attractive to many -models of ships, marine engines, etc. The Estimates for 1869-70 for wages to Established Men of Sheerness Yard (1,151) amounted to £7,470; for Hired Men (146) to £5,484; for Men in the Steam Factory (464) to £29,211; for Teams to £955; for Police (28) to £2,241; and for Men of the Yard-craft to £2,845. Reductions in the number of workmen employed in our Dockyards had long been contemplated, and to some extent carried out; and it being intended, as it would appear, to carry them out more largely, the Admiralty announced in April* that men discharged from the Yards, their wives and children, would be allowed (under certain conditions) a free passaget for themselves and families to Canada, where it would seem they could readily find employment. Of this offer some hundreds availed themselves-most of them from Woolwich and Portsmouth-and were conveyed to Canada *This announcement was made in deference to an express wish of the House of Commons. + The Admiralty made no charge, except for food and other incidental expenses, which was defrayed by private contributions. |