The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-15 00:00:00

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vine. The rebels destroyed the telegraph to-day at
the State Line, thus cutting off communication with
Nashville. Governor Morton and suite arrived
the Galt-house this evening. There is considerable
excitement in the city."
" FURTHER FROM TIIE RICHMOND (KENTUCKY)

BATTL E.

CINCINNATI, AUG. 31.

" A battle took place on Saturday near Rich-
mond, Kentucky, lasting from morning till four in
the afternoon, resulting in our troops being driven
back with serious loss. No particulars are received.
General Nelson, wounded, arrived here to-night.
A special to the Gazette and Commercial from
Frankfort, Kentucky, contains a proclama-
tion of Governor Robinson, issued to-day.
It says the State has been invaded by an insolent
foe, her honour insulted, her peace disturbed,
her integrity imperilled. The small but gallant
army raised upon an emergency for her defence
under Nelson has met with temporary disaster, and
the enemy is advancing to the accomplishment of
his purpose, of the subjugation of the State. He
must be met and driven from the border, and it is
in their power to do it. He calls on every loyal
citizen of Kentucky to rally to the defence of his
State, to rise up as one man, and strike a blow for
the defence of his native land, property, and homes."
A despatch from Memphis of the 30th ult. says :

" A meeting called yesterday, 12 miles south-east
of Memphis, to organise a guerilla band, was sur-
rounded and captured by a company of Federals ;
18 persons were taken. A detachment of Federal
soldiers occupied Hernando on Thursday, capturing
a train of cars from Grenada. A rebel force is said
to bo at Cold Water, four miles distant. General
Villepigne, with a force of 9,000 men, is reported to
be moving through Grand Junction. Prominent
Secessionists say that General Bragg's forces have
gone to Western Virginia, and will soon appear on
the Kanawha River, and then march to the Ohio
River."

The arrangements for the organisation of the
Corcoran Irish Brigade are nearly completed, but
it has not yet been ascertained whether the autho-
rities will consent to his raising a full division of
Irishmen to be placed under his command.
Governor Letcher has issued a proclamation de-
claring that the State quota of 59,700 had been
filled, but that the 50 dole. bounty offered by the
State would be continued.
Another iron-clad steamer has been launched.
She is thus described.

" On Saturday, at half-past 12 o'clock, the United
States iron-clad gunboat Passaic, which has been
known as the Ericsson Battery, No. 2 (the Mo-
nitor being No 1), was successfully launched at
the Continental Ironworks, Greenpoint, As the
affair had been advertised to come off a con-
siderable assemblage was present. The navy was
pretty largely represented. Rear-Admiral Hiram
Paulding, of the Brooklyn Navy-yard; Commodore
Ringgold, of the Sabine; Rear-Admiral Gregory,
General Superintendent of new Naval Vessels :
Chief-Engineer Stimers, the superintendent of the
machinery of the new iron-clads; Naval-Construc-
tor Pook, General Hall, Mr. Cushmand, and Mr.
Quintard, were on the platform. Mrs. Stimers,
wife of Chief-Engineer Stimers, christened the
craft, but was too nervous to stand on the ship, and
broke the bottle of champagne from the platform
amid tumultuous applause. Mr. Stimers acted as
master of ceremonies in the most polished manner.
The Passaic is an iron-clad steam gunboat, of 1,000
tons burden. She is 200 ft. long, 45ft. wide, 12ft.
deep, draws 7ft. of water now, and will draw 9ift.
when laden. These figures would give a good idea
of a wooden vessel; they can convey no impression
of this one. She looks like a huge coal barge with
a sloping house on deck. She is as thick as two
ordinary vessels. The -width of iron which is laid
on a hull of extraordinary strength is sin. The
turret is covered by wedges twice as heavy, being
no less than ilin. thick. The mail covers the en-
tire craft, and goes beyond the bow, where it
becomes a ram. It also extends 3.4 ft., or half the
entire draught of the vessel, below the water-line.
In action, then, a ball cannot strike an exposed
part, because there is no part exposed. Even the
prow, or ram, might be broken clear off without
serious damage to the vessel. Under each beam
of the upper part of the vessel, from turret bulk-
head, there aro three rows of stanchions of 21, bar
iron, fastened by lin. bolts. Aft the turret bulk-
head there will be only one central row of stanchions.
Rope stanchions are placed around the vessel at
intervals of 10ft., to be made of wrought iron,
with an eye at the top for receiving the rope rail.
A series of powerful strong belts are also in-
troduced all around the vessel. The vessel is
provided with six water-tight compartments,
connected with each other, with suitable doorways.
They are formed of lain. plate, butt-jointed and
riveted flush. The turret is 21ft. internal diameter.
The plates were llin. thick, are applied in 20 sec-
tions, and joined vertically in such a manner that
there is only one joint at any one place, The turret
plates rest on a flat ring, made of composition metal
thick and l2in. wide, provided with a vertical
flange on the inside 2bin. high and lain thick. The
top of the turret is formed of wrought-iron plates
thick, resting on forged beams and railway
bars, placed 3in, apart inside the turret. Certain
portions of these plates are perforated with holes
lin. diameter. In the centre:of this plating a cir-
cular aperture is made 6ft. in diameter, over which
the pilot house of equal diameter is to be placed.
The armament will of course be in the turret, which
is intended for two 15in. Dahlgren guns. The ma-
chinery consists of two engines, which are on board.
They were built at the Delamater Ironworks, and
have cylinders 40in. in diameter and 22in. stroke-
The blower engines and blowers are of greater size
than those of the Monitor, and instead of being
placed in the engine-room are applied under the
turret roof, forcing the air into the boiler-rOOO and
Martin s
other parts of the vessel. Two boilers, ofar"
plan, are attached, of 10ft. face, 9ft. 3in. high, and
These
12ft. Gin. long, with three furnaces in each'
boilers rest in 16in. floor plate, to he felted and
n d appurte-
leaded, and furnished with all aPPI.-7-e
nances. The propellor is made jot iron, 12ft. in
of °sale cost 400,000
diameter, with 16ft. pitch. The r° .
for all her sister
dols., which is the price to be paid
hea will be the Men_
ships. The next to be laun!tor
No. 3. She will
"
tank, now known as - After the launch the
be ready for sea in ten da9B'
o_ffi ce f Mr. Rowland, where
party adjourned to the :00 readiness. Among the
a recherche dejeunerelythose of Rear-Admiral Gre-
wer
toasts proposed d Mr. Roland, which Were
I gory, Mr. Stiolersa;ting terms by these gentlemen.
present, the greater por-
acknowledged
veva ladies
. There were se . friends of naval officers.
heleg The
• tion of them vessels building at G
he other reenpoint
) names of t" jr, Ericsson Battery No. 3 ; Caatskill,
are :-I‘l°°tau N
Battery o. 4, Work on those vessels
Ericsso
essing, and they
so
are progressing,
be ready for

DIE TRUANT BALLOON.—Mr. Coxwell writes to
explain a letter from Mr. George Birch, of Clare Park
Farm, near Farnham, stating that a balloon had descended
on his property, with sandbags in the car, bearing the name
of Coxwell. The latter gentleman says :—" The said
balloon is one of mine, and it started from Maidenhead on
Friday alone, as I was prevented from being in attendance,
being that day six miles high, in company with Mr.
Glaisber. The scientific ascent from Wolverhampton was
arranged to take place on Thursday, but owing to 'un-
favourable weather it was postponed until the following
morning. I fully expected to have made my public ascent
from Maidenhead the same evening, but in case of delay
had sent on an assistant to commence the inflation, and
had telegraphed to an inexperienced aerial voyager to visit
Maidenhead and ascend in case of my non arrival. This,
gentleman, unavoidably, perhaps, disappointed me, and my
ballon ' Evening Star' was permitted to ascend alone. I
regret much that I could not attend, but I have yet to learn
whether my bEilloon was sent adrift accidentally or by de-,
Isign. At any rate, it was more tenderly handled when it
landed per se than before it quitted terra firma among pro-
food friend°.