Genre:

News-Commentary, Drollery

Subjects:

Military Technology

Institutions mentioned:

Moniteur , Merrimac

    Reflects on changes to the design of naval ships, emphasising that the waves, which now 'laugh' at their ancient governess Britannia, can only be controlled by iron ships. Notes how surprised old seafaring characters (including the Vikings) would be to see ironclads and speculates on how the introduction of iron clad ships will change naval customs: for example, the replacement of 'cocked hats and epaulettes' by 'leathern aprons and gloves', the use of 'spike and sledge hammer' instead of a cutlass, and the eventual transformation of the board of the Admiralty into an 'ironing board' for 'rubbing out' 'hostile squadrons' like 'wrinkles'.