Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-02-08

Inns steamer Is built into a set of square
iron boxes or compartments, encascd with a
double shell of iron plates, tho inner one
three-quarter inch iron, forms the inner skin,
or hide. Outside this is another skin of one
inch iron plates. The outer and inner plates
will be joined to each other by longitudinal
webs or girders formed Of plates and angle
iron. There will be seventeen of these webs
on each side Of the ship, thus joining the
outer and inner skins by means OF a number
OF water tight cells, of such extraordinary
strength that they give rigidity never
before communicated to any vessel.
Besides these small cells forming the wall
as it were, Of the ship, she is being built in
seventeen sections, the midship section being
first built up to its full altitude, and the iron
decks laid--the other sections, fore and aft ,
being successfully built in like manner and
Jointed to the preceding section, 1t may
therefore be said that the slip will consist
OF great number Of water-tight apart
ments between the outer and inner skins
and Of thirty-two large square compartments
in the body Of the vessel, not merely nominal
divisions, but complete, substantial, water
tight bulkheads, of sufficient strength to
bear the PRESSURE of being filled with water
In case OF accidentally being broken in two,
the separate portions would float, without
damage to the cargo contained in the
uninjured sections
The following is a statement Of her dimen-
sions-length OS4 feet, breadth So feet
depth jS, number Of decks i, measurement
27,OOO tons. She is to have both screw and
paddle engines, whose nominal horse power
will be; screw, 800, paddles 900 Total
1000 horse power. Cylinder of screw engine
l. feet, diameter Of cylinder ~ inches; stroke
lcet cylinders of paddle engine, seventy
four inches, length OF stroke IA feet inches
Each engine room will be 40 feet long. The
screw propeller will be % feet in diameter
The paddle wheels have been fixed at IS feet
diameter. Draft Of water loaded, 22 feet,
draft of water in ballast, Is feet.
The masts are five in number-ship rigg5d
The steering apparatus consists Of two rud-
ders, with power sufficient to bring her
round. The after ruddcr is to be placed like
an ordinary ships rudder; the screw will
work forward of this ruddcr; ahead Of the
screw is to be a second rudder in form
something like a common rudder The
engines will be placed in different parts of
the ship entirely independent of each other.
The vessel will have ten boilers and five
smoke pipes. Every boiler can be cut of
from its neighbor and used or not as desired
they will be placed lOngitudinally along each
side of the ship; every boiler will have ten
iNi 'hN'oi bihIhB " tllt NlplS uut HuhuTetl
large fires. The vessel will have two pad,
die wheels in the usual manner, but the pad
die engines are TO be on the disconuecting
principle, 50 that one or both of the paddle
wheels may, if desired he put in indepen-
dent motion Her deck is to bo flush; the
door perfectly fat, She is to have a saloon
400 feet in length, Is feet high, and accom-
modaton for 600 first class passengers and
1900 second class. lf used as transport
ship, she will take 10000 troops with their
arms and field equipments. Over 7 900 tons
OF iron are used in her construction.
This steamer is built by Scott Russell,
under the charge of |. X. Brunei, one of the
most celebrated engineers of his time We
learn from the Hon John Appleton of this
city. who visited her few days before lesv-
ing London. that the work is rapidly pro-
crossing, and that she is expected to he
finished during the next Summer. She il
built broalside to the river, and is 10 be
launched by meani of two immense cradles,
which will gradually lower her down to low
water mark, whence, ON the ensuing tide she
will be hoated off