The class used diesels intended for small freighters to save boiler-room, funnel, and superstructure space. The engines instead proved slow and dangerous: Reginald Bacon records burst cylinder heads, failed starts, and crews reluctant to stop machinery once it was running. Chief Engineer Swan and the engine-room staff persisted despite the explosions and repeated failures. Palmers built ships of about 7,000 tons at full load, only 355 feet long but more than 90 feet in beam. Those proportions hindered handling even though the 10-foot-5-inch draft suited coastal work. Marshal Ney eventually exchanged her 15-inch turret for smaller weapons, including a 9.2-inch gun and a final battery of six 6-inch guns.
Chapter · 3:30-7:50
Marshal Ney-class diesel engines undermine a powerful monitor design
Space-saving diesel machinery promises a compact monitor, then leaves the Marshal Ney class slow, unreliable, and difficult to handle.