Warrior had enough room on her gun deck to carry prestige weapons alongside guns with greater practical value. The 110-pounders supplied the prestige, but British concern about bursting limited their effectiveness in use. The 68-pounders supplied dependable fighting value in this comparison. A 40-gun frigate could accommodate both, rather than relying entirely on the more prestigious weapon. This combination was part of the Admiralty's answer to La Gloire and to the problem of bringing several developing technologies into one warship.
Notable Point · 13:11-14:26
Why Warrior carried both 110-pounders and 68-pounders
Warrior's spacious battery allowed British designers to carry prestigious 110-pounder rifles without giving up the practical firepower of the 68-pounders.