Genre:

Essay, Rejoinder

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [4]

Subjects:

Military Technology, Government, Telegraphy, Railways, Discovery, Electricity, Steamships, Experiment, Invention, National Efficiency, Dynamics

People mentioned:

Josiah Jones , Cowper P Coles

    The various governmental shortcomings revealed by the Royal Commission on State Fortifications for Defence of uk are contrasted with scientific contributions to the defence of England. For example, 'we have a power of concentrating our forces, by means of our railways and telegraphs, unrivalled in any other country' (496). Furthermore, 'Our natural advantages are great; and it seems now to be admitted that those arising from scientific improvements and discoveries are greater for our defence than for any attack upon our shores'. Among these advances is 'the new portable electric light' for which the 'Scientific Committee of the War Department are now busily engaged in devising a system of signals by light-flashes'. Most importantly, successful 'experiments' have been made on 'steel and iron armour for ships, scientifically constructed with the view of diverting the shot and causing it to glance off, instead of clumsily attempting to resist it by mere strength of material alone'. (497) With these 'invulnerable vessels of a new and scientific construction [...] what enemy will dare approach us?'. The article concludes that 'our future Bulwarks must be of iron'. (500)