The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-14 00:00:00

A VISIT TO THE NEW IRON-CLAD SHIP
YARDS.

(From the New York Tribune of Sept. 30.)
Our naval reporter yesterday visited the yards in which
iron-clad ships are building for the Government. In them
all the utmost energy and industry were visible. The fol-
lowing is a rough estimate of the number of hands em-
ployed in the different places named
Delameter Works l,OOO men.
Greenpoint
Jersey City
Dry Dock (Whitney's ship)
Mr. Webb's

Total
Besides these, in nearly all first-class foundries and
smitheries contracts have been obtained, thus necessitating
the employment of more hands, In the Navy-yard there
are nearly 4,000 men, and, working on the wooden vessels
in course of construction hereabout, there must be at least
5,000 ; so that it would hardly exaggerate the fact to state
that nearly 20,000 men are now employed in the vicinity of
New York, whose wages the Navy Department will pay
ultimately.

The Weehawken will probably be the next iron-clad ves-
sel launched. She is building at Colwell's foundry in Jersey
City. Planking has already begun, and the deck-floor is
iron
plates laid. On the upper part of the hull the first
plates were laid yesterday. They form, with the wooden
portion of the bulwarks, a defence quite as wide, and far
stronger, than the generality of " stone walls," so common
in the suburbs. The lower part of the hull is being planed
and prepared for the mail. It is expected that by the Ist
proximo the Weehawken will be afloat.
In the same yard with this vessel, the Comanche, in-
tended for California, is being built. She is all iron. Work
on her is advancing rapidly.
Greenpoint is like a human beehive. Ears are worthless
when once you get inside the bounds of the Continental
Works, The Montauk, Kaatskill, and Passaic, of the nine
Monitor fleet, and the Onondaga and Puritan of special
fleet, are in hand, The Passaic, launched and " engined,"
is preparing rapidly for sea. The Montauk and Kaatskill
will be afloat in a month. They are very much like their
sister ships. The Puritan is the Great Eastern of the lot,
being nearly as large as the three eombined. She is only
in frame. The Onondaga is further advanced. She is all
iron, and will have two turrets. The Morgan Iron Works
are getting up her machinery.
The Dictator is going up at the Delameter Iron Works.
Her ribs are ship shape, and the several parts of the mon-
ster begin to look recognisable.

Mr. Whitney's iron ship is more advanced than any save
the Weehawken. The Moodna is the name given to her by
Mr. Welles. The hull is finished, and a good portion of
the armour on. The entire shell of the vessel is complete,
and, if it were of wood, would be in launching condition.
The turrets are two in number, and are nearly ready. Be-
fore the expiration of October the Moodna will be ready for
floating out.

Mr. Webb's ram has just been commenced. She will be
7,000 tons burden. All other ships on the iron system will
be mere catamarans to her. At present she looks too un-
like anything to be described. In two months she will be
a great ram, able to go to sea, and accommodate a larger
ship's company than the Niagara. Her name has not been
mentioned yet, but people think it ought to be Washington,
as we have no man-of-war of that name.