Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1840-11-14
From The Philadelphia U. S. Gazette.
TIL ~ STE n. N RRXG n r II

penon OF Is vessel, we, with the laulabe ,lesr
OF aliaying such curiosity. wendcd our way SOM
days ago to the scene Of operations the Navy va Il
AS we ncarcd the building containing the voss
the busy hum, and cheerful sounds Of irtustr,
broke pleasantly on our ear--mixed and hcn,,c,
came the sounds Of the grating saw, the hammer :.
clnk, the fall Of heavy timber, and the str kes o
the axe, as each Of the busy multitude engaged or
the vessel, applied bis separate avoca,on. Ha,ino
entered the building we turned our admiring gaz,
towards the huge vessel whose enormous p,opor
tons were spread out before US. Having walked
down the large space, in order more fully TO view
her beautifully modelled shape, we, mindful of the
cravings Of our readers, tnrncd out attention to oh.
tanning the requisite information and by thn kind.
ness of some Of the gentlemen connected with the
yard we are enabled lay forth the following par.
ticulars.
The freate is built in the best and mos, durable
manner, of live oak obtained from the southern par,
OF Georgia, and weighing 80 pounds to the square
loot The frame of the hull is supported in the
strongest manner with I've oak knees, ETC., and in
regard TO bolts and fastenings of every kind. no
pio de'ked, the space between them ming little
more than six feet and in the centre Of the vessel is
large space for the reception of the engines. ot
each end OF which there is an iron pate bulk head
or screen drawn completely across The vessel, for
the purpose Gin case of Ieak) of keeping the wa
ter in par, Of tie vessel and niso TO GU nd a,
eainSt accidents from the fires Of the engines. They
are at this time pIanking the upper deck, and the
whole vessel is in such state of forwarJncss that
(wete the engines ready she coul e launched in
two months. She will be riggeI in the same man,
ner as ship, and will require as her complimen,
two hundred men. Her ordrance will cnnsi Of
forty-wo Founders and two bombs 10 throw ten inch
sheiis-and when in full sailing order, her hurthcn
Will be 100 tons. Her weight is estimated at 500
tons. She is nearly as long as the steam shin Pre-.
sident, and one foot wider In her hold is cons rue
ted repository CAPABLE of containing 500 tons of
anthracite coal, by which the engines are 10 he
worked. In regard to the principal dimensions, we
have obtained the following:
Il. in
Length from the counter to nightheads, 22s 8
Extreme length to figure head, 224
Extreme breadth, 40
Depth in hold, %
She will he ready for caulking in few d,ys. /
Taken as whole, this vessel is q splendid sp. ci,
men of the skill of our artizans No one should
neglect to view so noble testimony to the already
high character which Philadelphia has attained FIR
ship-building.
Leaving the scene of buy industry. we wended
our way TO another, and yet more noisy scene-,he
engine and fundry establishment Of Messrs. Mer.
rick d Towne. who are busily engaged in making
the eneIncs for the Frigate. Having obtiincd per-
mission, We wandered through the large tabish-
ment, which is filled with workmen, who in pur
suit oi their several occupations made noise cnugh
to have awakened the Seven Sleepers. In the Fl ST
room we entered, number Of workmcn were cnsa.
gcd in fling and polishing various parts of the huge
engines. The main Centre-pin 6i the lever beams
weighing hbout 500 rounds, was in the process OF
being turned a very large lalhe.-1he steam
chambers specimens of great skill in ca ting, Icing
of very intricate shape, and cast in single piece,
are very nearly fnshed-a huge cyIenIer more
than feet in diame'er, and at least ~ feet high
was being bored-,his machine for boring is of
new construction, the body to lie bored bel pla
ced uprgh instead Of being laid down as is usual
the circle Of the hoe is more true, it having been
found tina! by The old method the bore was not ex-
ac;ly circular. We also observed a very neat MI
chine for making screws-al the wo,kmen in this
room engaged on articles for the Frigae, and
the beautiful finish on the brass and steel work is
deserving of oil praise. In the next room
large number Of iorses the blast Of which Is derived
from large fan.whcel driven by steam engine.
A small vertical uip rnmer, capable Of hegoiling !
o bar inches square, was in operation as We
tered, AMI was rapidly reducing to hape large
mass Of glowing ir.n.
The Foundry next attracted our attention The |
mould of one of the frames Of the engine very
frame which had been lately tlkcn from The mould
il weighs about l2 TONS and is # beautiful Go
thc pattern. The casting which are very
heavy aud v'y ffcul', and the success which has
attended Mess. NJ q +. in their s1fTts thus far,
is great evidence of kill aud ,u erior YORK nanshlp
"A large numb,r ofca, ,ngs varying in W ghi foin
one TO twelve tons, in process of finishing here.
The next place to which we bent our steps was
10 the b.iler rorm where four large copper boi
lers now nearly iinished. At lie upper pr, of the
building Of lbe engines is being put together.
The folloaing are the dimensions Of some of / S
parts
#. in.