‘We have found a way of making men-of-war shot proof’

The ability of the Royal Navy to sustain the often-conflicting strategic and political goals was therefore more pivotal than ever. The Admiralty had authorised two smaller, cheaper, broadside ironclads the previous December the Defence and the Resistance giving the Royal Navy four iron-clad frigates hopefully sometime in the course of 1861-62. This would not be soon enough, warned Crimean War veteran Captain Bartholomew Sulivan, from his somewhat aloof vantage point at the Board of Trade. On 24 October, 1860, Romaine informed Walker that the Admiralty was willing to sanction construction of three more Warrior-class ships based on his departments new design, submitted earlier that month. The Times saw the results as opening a new system of shipbuilding, for we do not see how it is possible to qualify them or explain them away. It follows, therefore, that if there should be no objection to Mr. Joness principle, we have found a way of making men-of-war shot proof.