lliams
sturdily held his ground, bravely repulsed a violent attack in which the
Russians lost over 5,000 men, and surrendered on November 27, with all
the honors of war, only when starvation stared his little garrison in the
face.

[Sidenote: First ironclads before Kinburn]

[Sidenote: Success of first trial]

Hostilities still continued for a time in the Crimea. The allied fleet was
sent to bombard various sea forts. The most important of these naval
operations from a historical standpoint was the expedition against Kinburn,
for here it was that the modern ironclad was first tried. On September 5,
1854, Napoleon had ordered the construction of five armored floating
batteries, which embodied the results obtained in the tests of plating made
before the War Ministry's representatives at Vincennes. The ships were of
1,400 tons displacement, were armed with eighteen 50-pounder smoothbores,
and protected by four inches of iron armor. They were the prototypes of the
later ironclads. Not without some misgivings three of these batteries were
sent to the Crimea to join the allied fleet under Admirals Lyons and Bruat.
The English squadron consisted of six line-of-battle ships, seventeen
frigates and sloops, ten gunboats, six mortar-boats and ten transports. The
French fleet, besides the three armored batteries mentioned, included four
line-of-battle ships, three corvettes, four despatch boats, twelve gun
boats and five mortar-boats. The combined fleets prepared to attack the
Russian works at Kinburn. On October 18, the bombardment began. The
ironclads steamed up to within 800 yards of the main fort; the other ships
took up positions at distances varying from 1,200 to 2,800 yards. Without
appreciable effect the Russian 32-pound and 18-pound shot and shell
dropped into the sea from the iron plating of the French ships. Whatever
injury was sustained was caused by the entrance of shot and splinters
through the portholes. Unable to withstand the well-directed fire of their
invulnerable enemy, the Russians hoisted the white flag, after having lost
45 killed and 130 wounded. The allies lost but two killed and had but
forty-five wounded--all on board the armored ships. "Everything may be
expected of these formidable engines of war," wrote Admiral Bruat in his
report. The Black Sea was the cradle of the modern ironclad.

[Sidenote: Achievements in Science and Letter]

Another achievement of far-reaching consequences was Captain Henry