H.M.S.
“CAPTAIN” IN A GALE
The
accompanying sketch is from an eyewitness, and represents our
ocean-cruising sea-going turret-ship the Captain,
commanded by Captain H. T. Burgoyne, V.C., during a gale on the
morning of May 30, when cruising with Admiral Sir T. Symonds’,
K.C.B., squadron in the Bay of Biscay.
The
gale veered from S.W. to N.W., blowing very hard in the squalls,
and was logged from 7 to 10 – the ship being under close-reefed
maintopsail, reefed foresail, and forestaysail. Although the Captain
on leaving the Channel had experienced strong south-west winds,
with a heavy confused sea, this was her maiden gale. She is a low
freeboard turret-ship, on Captain Cowper Coles’ principle, and
is designed and built by Messrs Laird Brothers. It will be noticed
that the spray from the tops of the seas passed freely over the
turret or low freeboard deck, but in no way inconvenienced the
ship or the working of the turrets, not a bucketful having entered
the vessel, so that the watch on the lower deck were perfectly
comfortable and dry; whilst the watch on the hurricane were
equally so, working the ship and sails.
The
admiral appeared determined to put her fighting powers to a most
severe but practical test, for soon after eight A.M. the signal
was made to Captain to furl sails and to fire her 25-ton guns with battering
charges and shot. The admiral kept close to her in his flagship,
the Minatour, so that he
might watch her behaviour and firing. The ship was placed
broadside on to the sea, and the guns fired to windward, and then
placed in every position with regard to the sea, the turret being
turned by steam in all directions. Turrets and guns were worked
with the greatest ease, and no inconvenience was felt in the
turrets from water or other causes.
On
a prior occasion, the 25th of May, blowing hard with a
heavy sea, but not a whole gale, the admiral ordered Captain
to get up steam for eleven knots’ speed, follow him, and then
fire at a mark, he remaining close to watch the movements of the
ship, the turrets, and the dropping of the shot. A target was put
over board, and when a thousand yards to windward, the Captain
commenced firing; the third 600-pounder demolished the target, on
which the admiral made the signal, “Well done, Captain!”
During the remainder of the day he placed Captain
in every position with the sea, training the turrets in all
directions and firing blank cartridges. The admiral remained close
by in his flagship to watch her at the finish, and made the signal
“Tell Captain Coles I am much pleased!” Thus the Captain
proved herself a first rate sea boat under sail or steam, and also
most remarkably steady, that she can fight her guns in any
weather.
Her
behavior at sea is spoken of highly from the admiral downwards,
and he describes her movements as most graceful. Her trials under
sail have only been with Monarch,
Inconstant, and Volage,
but from the fact that one screw, from some unknown cause, not
revolving freely, and the other not at all, when disconnected, she
has been under a great disadvantage, having to drag them through
the water, but notwithstanding this, she had, on the last
occasion, beaten the Monarch
in two hours 1748 yards to windward, when the trial was put to an
end by the maintopgallant mast being carried away. The maintopsail
yard and spanker gaff were also carried away during the cruise.
The Captain
has one great advantage over the other ironclads. She stays and
wears beautifully and is perfectly under command when under sail.
On one occasion she stayed when the Inconstant missed and it is generally believed that when her screws
are so adjusted as to revolve freely when disconnected, she will
have the advantage of all ironclads under sail.
The broadside partisans from
the first were obliged to acknowledge that the turret had great
superiority for protecting and fighting these monster guns, but
would never admit that a sea-going cruiser could be built with
turrets. Captain Coles, thirteen years ago, contended that to
limit his invention to coast-defence ships only, robbed the
country of half, and, indeed, its greatest value. The Captain
was given him to build entirely on his own views, and we now
possess a sea going cruiser that can travel to all parts of the
world with as much comfort as any old wooden frigate, and fight
her guns under sail or steam in any weather. But we must not
forget that her triumph is not due to the Admiralty for having
ordered her to be built, and to Captain Coles and Messrs Laird
Brothers for their exertions, but to Captain Burgoyne, who has
superintended her fittings at Birkenhead for the last year, and
his officers and crew, who have, with a will and determination
inherent to British seamen, overcome all difficulties that might
arise from her novelties. Although only one month in commission,
she bids fair ere long to vie with the smartest of our crack
ships.
HMS Captain
1870
