Weekly national intelligencer., 1845-11-22
IRON WAR STEAMERS.

FROM THE PITTsBURs MORNING PosT, NOVEMBER l3.
few weeks snce directing public attention to the ad-
veiiscmen Of the Postmaster General inviting proposals for
mail service between New York and Galveston Texas
took occasion urge upon the boatbuder of this city and
others the importance Of securing the contract and building
the required The vessels it will be borne mind
be Of the substantial kind, and that
they be used by the Government when necessary
vessels OF would be best to build them of iron
and .-ii So. uf~Pray or nispurg
skill in the construction of iron We remarked at
the time that the iron vessels already built by entepsng
and ingenious mechanics had done much for Pttsburg
proof Of which take great pleasure in directing the aen
ton Of readers the remarks Of the editor of the " NIL
fay and Nary Chronicle" paper printed in New York
city, and devoted exclusively TO military and naval affairs
The editor would secm has recently been in city and
whilst here visited the iron constructing
der the direction Of Captain HUNTER The compliment paid
to the capacity oil friend Captain HUNTER is well merit
cd he is highly esteemed in this community gentleman
Of extended scientific requirements and greatly devoted to his
profession But let the editor speak for himself
"IRoS Wan SrEAMEns.-We have several occasions
called the attention Of military readers to the
importance of this class Of vessels for the protection Of
prominent harbor only the Atlantic coast, but also
the shores Of our great inland seas.
"We had the qualification Of visiting not long since, while
sojournng at Pttsburg in the State Of Pennsylvania the
being constructed under the direction
of Captain WILLIAM W. HUNTsn, of the United States Ma
W. Il is contemplated that this vessel will be ready for
the early part Of the spring Of 1876 and is TO be hoped
that the Navy Department will rect her commander TO visit
all the principal cities the Atlantic coast in order that the
people here may witness the capabilities to extent Of
that great section of country lying west OF the Allegheny
Mountains would indeed be novelty to behold in the
waters Of New York large steamer Of ceren hundred
tons burden baque rigged tut the headwaers Of the
Ohio than thousand miles from the Her
model Of surprising beauty and hazard the opinion that
there few any vessels in navy that will outsa
her. while under without the aid Of her steam
power.
When completely equipped for service armament all on
board her daught Of water will be thirteen feet enabling her
TO the bar at the mouth Of the Mississippi at oil times
On her spareck I've four xtyour pounder mounted
carriages fitted in open boxes which revolve pivot
enabling them to bear upon any quarter OF the compass IN an
incredibly short space Of time. The guns Paxhan and
will weigh 900 pounds each The gun-deck pierced for
motive power below the water line, and consequently
peiey protected from the fire Of the enemy She TO be
provided with Captain Hunters submerged propeler nclud
ing the recent valuable improvements added thereto by the
talented inventor We Of the nunber who believe
that steam be applied 10 Of as to entirely
persede the Of Sails from the fact Of the impossbiy Of
carrying sufficient fuel for long voyages but do not per-
ceIve why sails and steam not harmonic with Hunter
propees the buckets being constructed that they may
shut into the sides of the vessel the engine stop
ped rearng in the least the headway Of the vessel while
under
"Capain HuNTEn Is gentleman Of extended informa-
ton arrived at that period Of life when the powers Of the
mind in full vgor the profession he has
adopted and if his life should I've spared for few years
come he will render essential services TO his country by
veng the iron mountains Of the West into floating batteries
for the defence of that banner Of freedom which dear us
brthnght priceless when compared TO the blood shed in
Gays gone by, that children and chldens chill
dren might repose in safety under Its ample folds"