The Sun.
London, England, 1862-11-24 00:00:00

SHIPBUILDING ON THE MERSEY.

On Saturday there were a number of ships
launched from the Liverpool and Birkenhead sides
of the Mersey—Mr. John Laird's yard turning out
a splendid government troopship called the Orontes,
and Messrs. Jones, Queggin and Co.'s yard two
very fine ve2Nels for merchant service. Besides
these launches, we may mention that a gunboat—
one of the craft about which so much speculation
relative to destination has been indulged in—toge-
ther with some keels of a less noticeable character,
left the stocks, and kept the building yards in cOrn-
motion. The Birkenhead ironworks presents a busy
scene. There are from 2,800 to 3,000 hands in daily
employment; and between 16,000 and 17,000 tons
of shipping, warlike and commercial, and machinery
of about 1,500 horse power, in course of construc-
tion on the premises. Amongst the most prominent
undertakings is the iron-cased screw frigate Agin-
court, which is intended for the royal navy. The
Agincourt has so far progressed that the frames are
all up and nearly plated to the armour-shelf, with
the exception of the extreme ends of the vessel,
which are kept back until the stem and stern posts
are set up, The forging of these immense pieces of
iron is progressing satisfactorily at Messrs. Hors-
fall's Mersey forge, where the armour plates of the
Agincourt are also being constructed, and these
plates are to be nearly 51in. thick, but they will
taper off to 2Rin. at the extreme ends of the ship,
which enables the builders to give a sharp model for
speed, and it is hoped a ship that will not pitch in the
same manner as the Warrior does. In another part
of the yard the twe iron-plated rams, about which
so many extraordinary rumours have been afloat,
are rapidly getting into form, and to nautical men
a very uncommon form it appears to be. With re-
gard to the Orontes, she is one of the improved class
of troopships, of which the Government are build-
ing several, something after the style of the cele-
brated Himalaya, but from 25 to 30 feet shorter
than that vessel ; her dimensions being :—Length,
300 ft. ; beam, 44ft. 4in. ; depth of hold, 23ft. 6in. ;
measurement (old), 2,011 tons. The engines, some
parts of which are already on board, will be of 500
horse-power, manufactured by Messrs. James Watt
and Co., of Birmingham. They ate calculated to
drive the ship at a high rate of speed, and the sail-
ing capacity of the Orontes will be that of a barque
full rigged in proportion to her tonnage. From the
foremast to the bow the deck is covered in, and
forms the forecastle, on which the crew of the ship
will be quartered. From the foremast aft the deck
is quite flush. The 'tween decks on which troops
will be accommodated, are fully 8 feet high in the
clear, with square side ports, large deck skylights,
and every provision for thorough ventilation, so im-
portant a requisite for the successful performance of
transport service. The Orontes is calculated for the
conveyance of 1,200 troops and 70 officers to any part
of the world. She will carry two pivot guns for
defensive purposes, but must not at all be considered
as a fighting ship. It is expected that she will be
completed and fit for service by the middle of Feb
ruary.