The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-03-28
THE WAR STEAMER UNION.

fine opportunity 10 those who have taste or curl
osily in such matters 10 contrast the models,
modes of rigging, propelling, and fitting up of
these two very different specimens OF the war
/ sieamer-lhat tremendous instrument OF desiruc-
lion which is destined 10 reyoluiionize the
whole art of naval war, and TO become of meal
culable importance TOT rtry. as the cheap
est and most eiif OF ITS extended
coast
this city during the son, uron plan and
model entirely new W be design to test, upon
a large scale, the usefulness OF Lieut. Hunters
submerged paddle wheel, which had been sue
cessfuly applied TO boat of small dimensions
constructed for the experiment at his own eX-
pepse. The last trip of the Union from Nor
folk 10 this city, at average speed of ten miles
the hour, having, in the opinion of the Naval
Constructor, who was on board triumphanlly
established the importance of Mr.. Hunters in-
venion, we now purpose 10 state some of the
advantages which its application exhibits in her
construction.
The Union is Of 1880 tons burthen; 1876 feet
4
and 26 feet at the water line. She has no
warehouses or any other visible fixtures of
steamer, except the chimney: is propelled by
means of paddlewheels acting horizontally a
few feet above her keel. These wheels are
much smaller than those made 10 act vertically
upon the common plan and are let into the
sides OF the vessels, so that, when revolving,
each paddle or propeller upon the circumference
of the wheel exiends-al its greatest distance
only fourteen inches from the side. The large
portion OF each wheel, which revolves within the
vessel, is enclosed and covered by box or case
planked and caulked so as to be entirely water
tight. was supposed by many that the large bo-
dy of dead pater in which these wheels must
work-the boxes being of course filed with water
when the wheels are al rest-would prove an nsu-
perabe obstacle TO the of the plan but il is
found, in practice, that the rapid rotary motion
given TO the propeers, tends to keep these boxes
free from dead water, as soon as The vessel ga
theirs Roadway. The propeers, requiring less
power than the vertical paddle wheel, are driven
by compact high-pressure engine, placed as
near possible TO the keel Of the vessel, and
occupying so little space that no part of it, or of
its boilers, rises above the wafer ne-being
thus entirely protected from the shot Of an enc
my. The small space required for The whole
propelling power, by this plan, enables the con
Il slructor to diminish the breadth of beam, as
compared with the length Of the vessel, in an
unusual proportion-as will be seen by compar-
ing The greatest breadth of the Union with her
leng hand to dispense with The cumbrous
warehouses and other excrescences which de-
stroy, in the common model, the, symmetry of
the steamship, and deprive her of all claims to
beauty OF form.
The Union sits low in the water, and when
seen broadSide 10, with her great length, her
narrow round stern and graceful sheer her three
light taper masts-schooner rigged-and that
general snake-like, raksh appearance, which we
associate with the Baltimore Clippern pre-
sents the perfect beau ideal Of "saucy look
ing craft" A friend of ours, who has inspect
ed her model and rig with the eye of an anna
teur, says she fully realizes, upon grand scale,
the idea Of :" the long low black schooner"
Stepping on the deck Of the Union, one is
struck with the simplicity and warike appear
ance of all her appointments. The view of the
flush deck is, from stern to stern, unbroken by
roundhouseS or tophamper Of any kind: not
even the common buipdrk rises from her sides
to present dangerous screen between her crew
and the enemy; but, in place Of il a light iron
rail-so constructed as 10 be taken down in a
lew moments when preparing for action-is
alone seen 10 enclose the deck. Her battery
consists of three Paixban guns-6S Founders
placed on piyots dmidShip-one in each space
i between the mass, and one on the quarter deck
The entire rigging and cordage connected with
the masts, is so fitted as to be come mp ui, or be
removed from the sides, in time of aclion-leav-
ing each gun TO sweep the whole horizon with
out obstruction and as each gun can be pointed
either forward or aft, by presenting the stem or
stern to an enemy the smallest possible mark is
exposed 10 his fire, while the whole battery can
be kept playing upon him. The bammocks OF
the crew, and other movable articles usually
seen on the deck of man-ol-war are, in the
Union, slowed in appropriate places below,
where the arrangements for the comfort OF the
crew, the economical storage Of provisions, fuel,
&c. seem admirably adapted to the ends de-
signed.
OF The efficiency of this vessel, we think none
can doubt, after inspecting her and listening to
the explanations of the intelligent aud courteous
officers in charge OF her and when it is consi.
dcred that her entire cost, with armament on
board, and fit for service, does not exceed
0,OOO-which, we understand, is about the
sum paid for the boilers Of the Missouri-an
adequate idea may be formed of the importance
to the nation Of this experiment, as connected
| ,,iih the hrrcncn OF nnr rnasI and with nnr m