If its not too late I would like to make a couple of comments concerning the recent string of msgs on the subject of hulls and the use of iron instead of wood.

Most people would agree that the use of iron plate instead of wood came into fashion in the early 19th century. Driven, not by the shortage of wood though that was a concern, but because once the ability of iron foundries to roll iron plate at a consistent thickness and length was learned, it soon became obvious that shipbuilding time could be speeded up and with much lower costs and without the need for numerous highly skilled men such as carpenters and similar trades.

Also iron was found to be easier to maintain and it did not suffer from the elements as much as wood did or from the attacks of numerous wood boring insects that could always be found in warmer waters. Though the advantages of iron ships as warships are obvious, Commander Bulloch, the Confedederate agent in Liverpool, preferred to use a wooden hull for the "Alabama" and the "Florida", this was because he realized that the vessels used for cruising would not always be able to use repair facilities at any major ports, therefore the vessel, if made of wood could be repaired by anyone familar with the use of carpenters tools, this included the crew and any local fisherman if the vessel was to hide in any out of way place such as a remote fishing village.

Iron vessels curently in existence from the 1860's are still available for study, two in particular can be found in the Netherlands, the "Buffel" at Rotterdam and the "Schorpion" at Den Helder.

The "Buffel" still has her Ericsson type turret. The first steel plated ship would be the SS "Lelia" which foundered on her maiden voyage to run the Blockade, she went down in Liverpool Bay in 1864, with a Confederate officer. Captain Arthur Sinclair on board, he was to take command of the vessel after she called at the Bahamas.