The Daily Dispatch: may 9, 1862., [Electronic resource]

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Iron-Clad fortifications.

An article appeared not long ago in one of the British periodicals showing that fortifications as well as gunboats could be sheathed with iron and made entirely impervious to the assault of floating iron batteries. Of the two, the iron-clad fortifications would evidently be superior. The South, which has shown the world what can be done by iron-clad vessels, should now make an exhibition of the practicability of iron-clad land defences. We would suggest to the ladies of Richmond that they should devote the iron intended for their gunboat to this purpose, and we call the attention of the Government and of the city authorities of Richmond to the necessity of arming in this way at once some of the defences on the river approaches to the city. There is enough old iron, as we have said again and again, among the households of Richmond, to furnish a shield for the whole city against the river attacks of the enemy. But the authorities must be at the pains to send carts and collect it, which they ought to have done long ago.