The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-01-17
THE DAILY DISPATCH


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THE DAILY .I DISPATCH
'sa..rs.x n1ss.sss, s.ssary ~ . lsss.
TIE steam FriGntes NJ the Gssrsrt navy
Yard.
The Baltimore American publishes lessel -
. correspondent who hss visitsd the United S'.AeS
Navy Yard, at Gospors, and gives long ann
tersssing account OF the twia sseam frssses, noe'
noks and Colorado, which are now approaching
completion. An our readers are s"Afe, 'ne en
einss for both Of these spiendd fnssses "ete co.,
stucted by Mr., Joseph r. Anderson. propnssof OF
TIA Tredesar Works, of this city. the work being
upde, the erection and personal superintendent
Of MIR. WIN. w. Wood, chief engineer Of the Uni
ted States Navy, assisted by Mr.. J. Mars supe,in-
tepdiae engineer. A few days since, steam was
raised on the Roanoke, IS lbs to the square inch,
when the engine was found to work with remark.
able snoothness and regularity. She win make
trial trip some time during the month Of February.
some further facts Of interest are mentioned by
the Americans correspondent. The engines are
direct acting and directly at ached to the propeller
shaft.
The cylinders are seventy nine inches in diam.
e,er. having length of stroke Of thirty six inch
position, ia II feet inches il diameter, and so
arranged as to be easily disconnected and hoisted
up when the ships canvass Is used; it weighs
nearly 1900 lbs. The iron shaft connecting the
propeller with the motive power,.is 100 feet in
length, whilst the shaft alley which contains 1t, is
80 feet long, le feet below the water. aud large
enough 70 admit of passing each other Within
The whole OF the machinery Is below tbs wa
sha hn;tn~ bax hat.
lei projected against the fire of an enemy. The
boilers, iouE ia number, and containing sixteen
large furnaces, are tubular, and Of the Kind re-
Gently patented by Mr.. Daniel b. Martin, engi
neer In chief OF the United states Navy. Each
boiler weighs about 70 TONS and are located frora
athwaIt snips, by which arrangement, a great
saving Of room, and more complete ventilation
are effected There are also spaces between the
sides VI tie .lp AID the boilers o as to admit a
passage through. The chimney, or smoke pipe,
10 telescope or sectional, AID cannot be seen
above the hammock rail when sailing, and can be
sAsiiy noissed to the required height when steam
ing, II order 10 produce the desired draft The
space occupied by the engines is 10 feet fore and
ait and - ieeG awthwart ship, inc luding engine
roonl Abe starting bars OF the engine, and the
val levers continued to be very easily
6otheu dlu the toEail1l CI IlCoT Is at SUCH an
ai,.uoe 10 give clear and unobssructed view
to ,De engineer on daty Of the boilers, furnace
fronts aud hremen. Each ship requires "a fire.
men, 6 OF whom are on duty at one time"
Richmond has just reason for congratulation
that possesses establishment capable OF turn
ing out such massive and beautiful machinery as
that which is employed in these gigantic frjgaies.
Ia regard to the vessels themselves, the work of
the Portsmouth ship builders, the correspondent
says thar they have challenged the admiration OF
SOME of the most experienced naval architects by
their beautiful models, the graceful manner i'll
which they float upon the water, the systematic
proportions or the various lines, the towering
masts and spars, and the neatness and sinewy
strength vi their rigging The length of the Roam.
Is 265 feet between perpendicuiars, from bill.
let head taffrail 800 feet, breadth of beam 263
feet, depth OF hold from the gun deck got feet,
burthen 1900 tons. Her present armament con-
sists of orty shell guns though she ia pierced for
sixty aud can easily carry them whenever such
immense cannonadng power is required. Each of
her pivot guns weighs about Il 900 lbs, without
carriage; eaca of the Others $3.50; total weight of
armsmsnt, without CARRIAGES $4,000 lbs. 1t is
also stated that, like her five consorts. she Will
throw = greater weight of shot in the same iime
land tina of the most destructive kiud known to
,nodera warfare) than any other war vessel afloat
The keel Of the Roanoke, says the correspon
dent Is con. POSED Of two thcknesses of white oak;
the keelson Of white oak plank inches thick there
are four other live and white oak keelsons, two on
each side OF the main keelson all which are heay-
Iy boited with copper bolts. The immense frame
"a of live and hite OAK L. to Ia inches thick cross
str. pped with strong diagonal bracipgs of IRON the
bracipg being continued fore and aft, and securely
boi,ed TO each timber. ALI the timbers CT the hui,
were Obtained in Florida and Louisiana and have
been seasoning for several years. The ship con.
tains four powerful capstans. with a complement
of force pumps able to throw stream of water $50
feet which will answer the purpose of fire engine
Near these pumps is the cooks galley large enough
TO cook for 500 men.
The other frigate, the COLORADO, is SO much like
her twin lister, the Roanoke, that there are but
three or four men in the Gosport Navy Yard able
10 distinguish the vessels These two noble sh;r
reflect great credit all concerned, on the naya,
constructors, and mechanics OF the Portsmouth
yard, ard on MIR. Anderson and his assistants, of
the Tredegar Works, who have manufactured the
engin.s AID machinery for these immense and
beautiful structures.