Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-11-30

pstheen tne gun ana oertn decks, composed OF
| white oak plank, seven inches thick, hooked
together with Hgnumvita cogues, with the
view of forming one solid mass. This deck
presents fine and imposing appearance, and
Is in keeping with the majestic proportions Of
| the ship.
| On the berth deck We find various apart
ments First, We have pantry and store
room feet from the stern post, and extending
the width of the ship; then the ward room,
40 feet long, with IA state rooms, feet by
feet inches for the commissioned officers, all
OF which are finished very neatly, and pro-
vided each with a berth 6 feet inches long,
and feet inches wide. with FIVE large draw
ers under the berth, one walnut secretary and
bureau, one chair, washstand, clothesracks,
&c. The steerage is separated from the ward
room by bulkhead, with large folding doors
one door opening into the ward-room, and
leading into the Chief Engineers room, which
is feet inches by ii feet In the steerage,
or outside Of the ward-rooin, as far forward as
the coal bunk, there are sixteen rooms one 90
feet by III feet, for the Midshipmen's mess
room; one 20 feet By IL feet for the Engi-
neers' mess room; the others being for the car
| penter, gunner. sailmaker and boatswain, (hn-
ished as these in the ward droom,) for officers
sto-e-rooms, and for dispensary. On each side
Of this deck is coal bunk, 81 feet long and
| feet wide, lined on the outside with pannelled
work. At the end of the coal bunk the "Sick
Bay commences, and is 30 feet long and 33
| feet athwartships, the workmanship being
| similar to that in the ward-room. The ham
| mocks OF portion of the men are swung upon
| this deck, which is feet inches clear under
/ the beams.
| The forward orlop deck contains two bread
rooms. each by IL feet long, two sail rooms,
III by Ii feet long, one general store room, 80
feet long from the stern of the ship and S6 feet
wide, provided with shelves, nail bins, rope
Y he IrOxr r. l. = q
| the ship.
On the after orlop deck there are, a bread
! ROOM 80 square feet, the purser'. and car
| penters store rooms, the magazine, passing
scuttles, two bread rooms, two dry provision
rooms; rooms for captains and purser's
clerks, matches to spirit room, shell room. & c.
The open space will be occupied b. coal
hunks, engine, 6c., and a small room for the
ships srmory. All the bulkheads are of
2-inch pine, having doors with open work for
/ ventilation, &c.
Looking at the inboard arrangements Of the
Minnesota, we find in the after hold, next TO
! the stern post, n room of 236 square feet, de-
signed for the engineers workshop for repairs
/ on machinery, &c; two rooms for boat amuu-
milton, each SO square feet two passing pas
snges. of % square feet each; one magazine
| OF ,O2i square feet, which will contain about
400 powder tanks Of about 200 lbs. each, and
/ which IL made secure by 2 inch bulkheads
extending through the ship, and coppered on
| the inside; one spirit rUOm Of go square feet;
she'll room, ~ feet long feet inches wide;
| passage, &c; the open space to be occupied
With boilers, engine, and set of water tanks,
| 81 IN number, weighing about SO, 600 lbs, and
containing about "A 900 gallons. The forward
noid Is arranged somewhat similarly to. that
| of the after part, with one magazine, room for
general stares, she'll room, chain cable lock-
err, DC. The depth of the hold from the birth
| deck is Is feet
The machinery of the Minnesota, which was
designed by eDgineer-in-ehief Martin, L. s.
n and whose design has been faithfully and
| energetieaily carried out by the chief engineer
and machiniss of the yard, IL. Hunt, ESQ
| Is nearly completed. and its erection on board
Will be commenced so soon as the ship Is
| launched The boilers, four in number con-
| tain $4,000 square feet Of heating surface, and
S5O square feet of CRATE surface; they have 5 coo
vertical tubes, inches diameter, and ~ inches
long, around which the fire returns The boil
will occupy in the ship space of 81 feet fore
! and aft, and 81 feet across ships, which In
cludes the fre-room. The engines are called
Trunk engines the first ever built in this
| country Of so large a size Their principal d.
mensions are as follows Diameter of cylinders
9tinehes; diameter cf trunks "a inches; length
/ OF stroke, 20 inches; diameter Of crank shaft
| l4E inches; entire length of shafting from en-.
gine to propeller, l30 feet.
The engines will occupy n space in the shin
Of Is feet fore AMI aft and 22 feet athwart-
| ship, which includes AL The engine room The
| nominal power Of the engines is equal to 500
horse; but they are capable Of peing worked
! UP TO 1000. The propeller is made Of brass,
and was cas-. In the iron tJundery at the ward
under the superintendent Of Wn. Ii Bland,
Esq master founder. II is designed to be
hoisted, when desired to use sail alone 1t is
now completed and fitted in its place. as the
Y u, H. h Il "a
| with two blades, weighing 22070 pounds, III
feet diameter, and % feet pitch, J0reyolutions
per minute being the maximum speed. The
| entire machinery (boilers and cngiues) is esti.
mated TO weigh about 3lJ tons.
The shaft to the propeller is in four sections.
| and will be supported by four solid oak bear
ings at each connection. Above tie space al
loted to the shaft, imm ediatcly abaft the en-.
gine, Is heavy beam, intended to receive the
heel Of the mainmast. This beam is 3 feet
wide and Is inches deep, occurred by two knees
at each end, bolted through the sides A
massive cast-iron casing surrounds this beam
in the centre to receive the heel of the mast |
which is supported by two I0-inch solid
wrought-ircn columns. The decks in wake of |
boilers are made with reference to subsequent !
removal of boilers for repairs, DC. The pro-
pelier hole in The stern, through which the |
shaft passes, is one solid mass Of live oak-the |
hole being 20 feet in length and Is inches diam |
eter. In this hole is inserted a copper tube, |
made perfectly water tight at each end in |
side of this copper tube there is a composition |
tube and inside Of the last named another |
composition tube-the shaft playing in this |
latter tube, water-tight. This work forms |
truly wonderful piece of mechanism, and fills |
the mind Of the observer with amazement
presenting at once a vivid idea Of the massive |
strength of this splendid marine structure.
The Minnesota has seven breast hooks for |
ward, and six aft. The bolts pass through the |
breast hooks, and are clinched on the inside |
The plank upon the bottom is Of white oak /
FIVE inches thick. There have been driven in |
to her hull 1888, ,450 pounds of bolt copper, and /
80, 1872 pounds Of bolt and bar iron. Up |
wards Of l6 tons of oakum have been used in \
caulking, and TOO lbs. Of cotton in searching |
The displacement of the ship, at % feet !
draught, is 1900 tons.
The following are the dimensions of the |
masts and spars n.sfmx.p
LaSSTH. DIA2srER. ARMS 4
fee. inch. feet inch feet. inch !