The Ironclad Age

As Prime Minister Palmerston memorably put it, Britain had no eternal friends or enemies, only interests, and the end of the war with Russia allowed the country to concentrate once more on her erstwhile ally but most formidable potential enemy, France. Seven new liners, including the 121-gun Victoria and Howe, had been ordered during the war and three more in 1856–7 but new ship construction was delayed by the postwar contraction of the dockyards and the amount of repair work necessary. It was also felt prudent to keep up with the French and Americans in frigates, the latter threat in particular causing the laying down of six very large frigates of larger tonnage than contemporary liners. The last two, the huge Mersey and Orlando, laid down at the end of 1856, mounted 40 of the heaviest guns available: 10-inch shell guns and 68-pounders. They were formidable fast capital ships but proved too large for wooden construction and were very short lived.