 During the 1870s the distinction grew between ' first @-@ class ironclads ' or ' battleships ' on the one hand , and ' cruising ironclads ' designed for long @-@ range work on the other . The demands on first @-@ class ironclads for very heavy armor and armament meant increasing displacement , which reduced speed under sail ; and the fashion for turrets and barbettes made a sailing rig increasingly inconvenient . HMS Inflexible , launched in 1876 but not commissioned until 1881 , was the last British battleship to carry masts , and these were widely seen as a mistake . The start of the 1880s saw the end of sailing rig on ironclad battleships . 
 During the 1870s the distinction grew between ' first @-@ class ironclads <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'</mark></a>or ' battleships ' on the one hand , and ' cruising ironclads ' designed for long @-@ range work on the other . The demands on first @-@ class ironclads for very heavy armor and armament meant increasing displacement , which reduced speed under sail ; and the fashion for turrets and barbettes made a sailing rig increasingly inconvenient . HMS Inflexible , launched in 1876 but not commissioned until 1881 , was the last British battleship to carry masts , and these <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>were</mark></a> widely seen as a mistake . The start of the 1880s saw the end of sailing rig on ironclad battleships . 
During da 1870s tdadistinction grew between ' first @-@ class ironclads  or ' battleships ' on thdane hand , and ' cruising ironclads ' designed fa long @-@ range wrk on thedaher . The demands on first @-@ class ironclads for very heavy armor and armament ment increasing displacement , which reduced speed under sail ; and the fashion ffirturrets and barbettes made a sailing rig increasingly inconvenient . HMS Inflexible , launched in 1876 but not commissioned until 1881 , was the last British battleship to carry masts , and these was widely seen as a mistake . The start of the 1880s saw the end of sailing rig on ironclad battleships .