The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-06-18

der TO test the principle IL important that the Uni
ted States should demonstrate that proposition which
has been maintained by scientific men OF all nations =
proposition having important bearing upon the de
fences of This repubc-is either tenabe or unena-
BILE. IL has engaged the attention OF Comm )doIe Bar
ron, General Gaines. and many other distinguished
military men on both sides OF the Atlantc; and u
now comes from a who stands at the bead OF his
profession in this and every other countrya man who
has given the most valuable practical proofs OF hi
know ledge. And shall we, when he offers for
ward, not with the view OF making job ol H. not with
any expectation OF realizing peeuniay advantage to him
se-When he lays before US The experience Cleaned by
lifetime OF observation, practice, and study, shall we
cast his proprosa aside because naval officers
who have, perhaps, never built ship in their Liver
shall cast aside this suggestion because they may think
/ Il impracticable | hope not, SIR No one entertains
higher respect for naval officers than do. especially
when they conhDe themselves To their legitimate duties
and no one is ready to listen TO and appreciate their
/ suggestions, when they speak OF that which comes
within the line Of their proper avocaiion but when they
speak OF things with which they are less conversan and
venture their opinions in opposition to those OF Alr Ste
yens, upon question which he has well examined
Iaast say, however hilhy may estimate their talents
IN other respects hat their opinions are not enIied 10
any peculiar consideration
Sir, the opinions OF Mr.. Stevens on this subject are
more valuable than those Of any person in the United
States. When he first made this proposition he found
the coasts OF The country, as they are to This day,
comparatively deenceless. careful examination has
shown thai every point upon coast Is Vulnerable
The harbor OF New York may be entered al any lime
and the Empire City reduced 10 ashes by the existing
means OF European naval the
Notifications which you lhsre have and Mr. Stevens has
brought forward his plan for the construction OF loat-
log battery designed TO remedy this defect To
tent and invited public attention H. He made expert
menis which were attended by joint commission OF
military and naval officers; and that commission was
ny satisfied that his proposed battery would resist any
shot shell used in naval warfare. The members OF
the Chamber Of Commerce Of the city of New York ex-
amned H. and have approved OF 1t in terms equally
strong. The navy commissioners examined il III the
same light, and recommended il for the purpose
han tha sitipno of htr WA
brought forward II had been carefully tested as il was
in the power OF man TO les! IT, We had more lniorma-
ton this subject than is usually entertained in relation
to matters that have not been practically developed all
their details.
Now, sir permit me here to remark, that while every
port we have i open 10 any enemy the coast OF France
s perfectly fortified and protected that no hostile fleet,
from the year l79S TO the year 1915 notwithstanding all
the efforts OF the British, able 10 enter any Of their
ports.
The design OF Mr. Stevens will be understood from the
following proposition aid before Congress III 1912:
-t. WAsHINGr roN. January 25, 1912.
The battery vessel above referred is be
IS be shot and shell p;oof She have greater speed
than any vessei-ofwar ahoat The engine and pro
png parts 10 be 80 placed that the latter shalt be
submerged, and whole engine of way OF
from The vessel of enemy. Her guns be large,
and adapted both shot shells. Her burden be
less than 800 tons.
The praclicaby Of rendering such proofs gains,
shot and smells is theoretical assumption, bat has
been proved by tbe tests ol positive experiments These
experiments were recently made at sandy Hook unGec the
"A.
and IN the presence Of joint board o. army and of
fces appointed ty the government From the resu, no
doab whatever remains OF The fact that series OF wrought
ron boiler plates, rveied tcgeher and placed each
other until the strata amount four and half inches in
fired with bsiterng charges at the distance Of
thirty yards Fieen twenty shot also hIed this
target thus constructed and made fiji
sate 70 protect anything in It's rear egains, similar force
Shells fired from the distance scarcely ndented tue
on and both shot and shells invariably brOk into
small fragments
The ah,ye.napaJ x ,ere ,rioJ ,,od.r ia. a.,
peryon OF the officers Of the army and Al the
Of these Tie writer who bud returned from Europe,
was present. and trials then made upon the effect
SHELLS Of peculiar instruction, which prepared by
him These shells hecmstcaly sealed and effect
from voea concusson They perfectly safe also from
injury by subncnsion IN They constructed
which they are discharged and being elongated,
three times as much powder the common shell OF the
same cabre Tney do require the of mortars but
may be fred from the guns In fdnafy Out twenty
OF these shells which discharged TIMBER into
banks oi suud, nineteen exploded In the antci.
paied-renderny the action sufficiently ceualu and evnc
Ing the possession OF properties not possessed by other
she'll AMI producing ctscs which actually tremen.
dous.
Il vii be manifest that steam vessel or battery forti.
fed in The manner above described and furnished with the
means OF rapid pnson, would be able approach
adyeafys vessel securely and closely render II
patcaly impossible 10 miss her with shrs fired horizon.
tally aud does ppcar til vessel possessing the prop
ertes above enumerated would be able and
stroy auy eet OF steamers OF sailing ships
sruGled, which might be attack city, or to block.
ade port The pors OF such vessel through which the
inches
only, ght have port holes buttle lager muzzc
Of gun and yet allow IL TO be fired any desired angle
These porthoes may be readily projected from canister,
grape, OF other shot, by means OF movable screens 80
constructed as 70 be removed aod replaced with facility.
single shell OF large Dimensions and of the kind pre-
pared by The wer, w suffice 10 sink the souest wooden
vessel, exploded within her sides, anywhere the
waterltne. The effect OF such shell pom structure
wood fully tested under his superintendence, upon
Governors Island, the habor OF New York, upwards
twenty years ago The experiments were made by order
OF the government in the presence OF the late Colonel
House. and Of several Other officers with the following re-
manner, by oil the best ship builders IL
i've feet IN thickness, and the tbors secured
gether BY iron sorewbols, passing entirely through the
whole. This target perforated by tho explosion OF d
single shell, hole being made through which horse
might have passed. Seven tmbers of whiie.oak, each
measuring twelve by sixteen inches, into shred
aud scattered to a great distance.
The foregoing rlan OF constructing aud aming q vessel
with most OF lie details has for many years
and the delay IA bringing Il forward has resulted from
conviction that period moro favorable adoption
leved that Il has now actually arrived The advantage o
being the s to construct vessel OF this description would
be very great, II render n long une
against tie vesselsowsT OF oiher nations these would
require 10 be built anew. As fence, would
be cheaper Than any other and time OF peace
vessel would suffer but le from the rsvsges Of time and
but few hands would be required keep her proper
condition for Her ventilation would be auicia aud
constantly and thoroughly applied la actual service, her
crew, OF All grades would not probably exceed hun
ded and hly She would need rigging With anthracite
ue she would not be rendered visible either by smoke
by sparks and would therefore attract the notice of AN
enemy less either by night by day. than other
sci.
Although a vessel or battery of the kind described Il
equally adapted TO the protection OF all ports
OF New fok VIII probably be considered those
The best fitted 70 experiment with it, IL experiment
bo called. Its spacousness its grout depth
vicinity to fresh water, which VIII render 1t easy any