"History repeats itself. In the famous "Orfeus C. Kerr Papers." Published during the last American Civil War, we have an account of the Mackerel Fleet, which consisted of gunboats plated inside. "What's the use," said the admiral in command, "of platin ironclads outside, where there ain't no men to be hurt; plate em inside where the men is and it'll be some use." The Editor of The Engineer did not know whether Sir E. J. Reed had read the "Orfeus C. Kerr Papers." or not; but he had carried out the idea and secured provisional protection for an ironclad ship plated inside of out.