Thanks to the fact that nowadays more and more books are digitized we are able to read books that are some times for decades no longer available for the public for several reasons. That’s quite a pity while these books contains useful information while the archives are destroyed, incomplete or nor accessible.
P. 142: “The “Victoria” ironclad, built by the Thames Ironworks Company, and engined by Messrs. John Penn and Sons, has at last taken her trial trip. It will be remembered that this vessel was launched nearly two years ago, but in consequence of the Spanish Government, for whom she was built, being then at war with Chile and Peru, she was not allowed to go out of the Victoria Docks. The trial took place at the Maplin measured mile, when the mean of four runs gave the speed as 14.1 knots; the number of revolutions per minute, 65; and the pressure of steam, 231bs.; with an indicated power of 4,500 horse. The weather was favourable, but the tide was rather bad, being at about half ebb, at the time of trial. The dimensions of the Victoria are: Length 316ft., breadth 67ft., depth of hold 38ft., displacement 4,302 tons. Comparing these dimensions and the driving power with our ironclads, the trial must be considered very favourable.(1)
Source
Artizan Club. The Artizan, volume 26, 1 June 1868.
Note
1. This must be the Spanish centre battery ironclad Vitoria, laid down 15 January 1863, launched 4 November 1865, commissioned 15 November 1867, reconstructed between 1897-1898 at Toulon as a so-called Acorazado guardacoastas or coast defence battleship, since then used as training ship and in 1911 sold to be broken up. Sources supplied different details dealing with her displacement as 7.135-7,250 tons or 17.140 long tons and as dimensions 316’2” (between perpendiculars) x 57 x 26’5” (maximum). She was armed according to Conway’s All the world fighting ships 1860-1905 with 8-9” guns, 1-7.9” gun, 8 machineguns and 2-14” torpedo tubes while according to the list of Spanish battleships and monitors to be found at www. Wikepedia.org she was armed with 6-6.3” guns and 6-5.5” guns.
