New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-09-07
Vol. EEE. NO. 1919.

Revenue Cutters now buiidinG-SeiZurc OF
an American vessel NJ foreign port
Iron GiS-Manufacture of Cannon-Cu-
rfous effect on balls used IN testing
thcm--LOcO-FOcO NOminations--Thc
Markets.
Correspondence Of The New-Yo rk Tribune.
PIrrsBURC, SEPT %, 1913.
To us, who live far from the great sea and have
never seen ii, who have oft read and re-read Of
battles fought and won till Our hearts were all agog
TO behold the wooden forts III which victory was
contcnded for, the building of vessel of war is
full of interest For the first time for upwards Of
DO years, we are about TO have our curiosity graft
fed by seeing real bona fde ship Of war built;
launched, rugged, equipped, and it may be, cleared
for foreign port, with variations in the method
Of propulsion quite unknown to our fathers. When
Pittsburg was a mere village, ship-building was
no uncomfortable branch Of its business, but after
the year 1905 it declined, and never has been re-
vivcd since, till these revenue cutters were con-
tractCd for by some of our iron founders. An
amusing circumstance has often been related to
this effect: \ vessel was built here, rlggcd loaded
and cleared for a foreign port, Leghorn In Italy,
if rny memory serves me. Upon her arrival there,
the master, nothing doubling, presented spapers,
but to his establishment they were pronounced
forgery, the officers declaring there was no such
port as Pittsburg and his vessel and cargo were
seized, the officials thinking, and chucklng over
it that they had caught prize. Nor was the YES
sci released till the captain produceda map of the
q. S and with his finger traced the route he came,
from New Orleans up the Mississippi and Ohioto
the place whence he had started.
saw, some time since, an inquiry in the Buf-
fao Gazette whether the revenue cutters under
contract here were to be built Hunters and Eric
sons plan, ard do not remember to have seen
the question answered by any of the city papers.
Ii they have not, will answer it for them. The
contractors are Messrs. Freeman, Knapp & Co,
and the constructor, or Naval Architect, Mr.. \.
G. Carpenter The one building with Ericssons
propeller is to be ll0 feet long 81 feet beam, and
II feet in depth. The frame Of this vessel is up,
and the workmen busily engaged planking her.
1t is destined for the Lakes. The propeller will
be 9 feet in diameter.
The other, after Hunters plan is on the WAYS,
% feet, depth II feet, paddles Is feet in diameter
vessel fit her out complete and send her down the
is destined to serve. The planking will be three
genious contrivancc the ribs of these vessels have
and level. A large heavy plate, nearly in the
of parallel rows of oblong holes at regular dis
evclled ends when required arc set by the pattern
OF the rib wanted The ribs, which are rolled out
straight arc then heated in long furnace, and
easily bent to fit the pattern described on the plate
by the dogs The engines Of both will be Of the
same size. The boilers arc made precisely like
those used on locomotives, OF tho following dirnen-
sions Whole length "a feet chamber 6 feet
long and feet high, with large and 20 small
Hues Each vessel will be rugged with three
masts
NV ignorance of the technical terms used in
describing ships, prevents me from attempting a
more particular description. When they are
complete perhaps shall have learned more
Another curiosity at the same place is an iron
Gig built by Mr.. Carpenter This Gig is 81 feet
long, feet beam, II inches deep, and weighs
270 lbs. without the seats, which arc very light.
It is fitted up as life boat, and is really beaut-
full forgot 10 say that the shafts, 8 inches in
diameter when finished, were forged in this city.
There is no reason why forge sufficiently large
to manufacture cannon as heavy as Capt Stock
toms big gun, might not be erected here. All
that is wanted is patronage from the Government
and then it would not be necessary to send to
England Another branch of Freeman Il Co.'S
business is the manufacture of cannon. Their
last contract was for 100, and 10000 balls.
table of the tests to which the metal was sub
jectcd is curious, aud the effect produced on the
a 4
traordinary, few would believe ii, were it not in
disputable 1t is that, when a certain number OF
balls are put in gun they cannot be pushed out,
and at the point OF contact are so powerfully
pressed the metal is forced into the ball in the
form of wedge, splitting it open, and bursting
the gun. was shown the fragments of ball
in which this had taken place, and other balls
much tlattened with the tremendous pressure.
subion the table of tests
Isl series-2O rounds, - lbs OF powder ball. > wads,
pow der weight Of ball.
ID series20 rounds = lbs of powder, balls wads,
powder weight Of ball.
elo rounds, 5i6 lbs of powder balls, wads,
powder weight OF ball
4h seres-5 rounds i0-I6 lbs. powder balls wads,
powder weight OF bali.
5h seres-3 rounds IL lbs. of powder - balls wais
powder double weight OF ball.
At the last round, with III pounds Of powder,
and l3 balls and = wads, the effect described
above was produced, and the gun gave way
This established the character of the metal as
equal TO any in the United States, and if | am
not mistaken to the Swedish or French. When
the vessels are completed shall recur TO them again
more fully. The Aqueduct is under contract for
repair. 1t will certainly be rebuilt
The grand Loco demonstration was made in
Convention on the 30th and 3lst ultmo. After
a session Of two DAYS the following ticket was
nominated. For Congress, VIM. Wilkins; for
State Senator, no one. Gazzam, presume, thought
IL 49,, o,t;,led RI the nomination for CONGRESS-