The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-06-20

6ngAsn opinion OF the o. B. 0team
81 Frigate Niagara.
y The steam frigate Niagara was sent BY the
United States, to assist Great Britain in
laying down the Submarine Telegraph Cable,
between Europe and America. The London
Times gives an interesting description Of her,
and favorable one. We extract two para
graghs: -.ft
The Niagara is one of twelve steam frig.
ates which short time since. Congress or
dered to be built, by way of counterbal-
ance to the enormous increase of the Eng
lish and French marine. The construction
Of the Niagara was intrusted by reclamation
to Mr. Steers, the builder eff the celebrated
clipper yacht America. In building her he
had four conflicting purposes to- reconcile
to make her good gun boat, good steam
boat, good seaboat, good sailor and good
steamer. The result is the Niagara in de-
sign kind of compromise, and which leaves
her the fastest sailer in the world, one OF the
fastest steamers, fine scaboat, and very
good man-of-war. Her length over all is 81 s
feet, breadth (extreme) SIS feet 6 inches,
depth of hold 80 feet inches, and her bur-
den s, 200 tons, or nearly 1000 tons larger
than the Himalaya. Now she has on board
only four small guns-that is, small in COM
parison to the armament she ia intended to
carry; but when the peaceful task of laying
the Atlantic submarine cable is completed
the Niagara will be fully armed and equip
ped for war. She will then carry IL Dahl
gren guns, IL inches diameter in the bore,
and throwing . solid shot of the enormous
weight of ZIG pounds q distance of 1000
yards, or four miles. These shells for these
guns will weigh 100 pounds, and the guns
themselves IA tons. These monster ordnance,
which seems as if we were reverting to the
barbarism Of gunnery, and would come at
least to the unwielding piece of the Darda-
| nelles, with bores of % inches diameter,
have already been cast at the West Point
foundry, near New York. We certainly
| wish that the Niagara had only one of these
tremendous artillery on board, as it would
have enabled us better to appreciate her
warlike capacities.
Inspecting man-of-war without her ar
mament is much like judging of the strength
of lion by his skin. At first 12guns seem
but small offensive power for vessel Of
upwards of 5000 tons, and it is only by re-
fiecting on the stupendous calibre of her
equipment that one begins to understar d
how formidable she will be, and feel curious
doubts as to the result of contest between
such frigate and the largest three-decker.
We have said that while alongside the spars
seems heavy; yet from the deck, compared
with the vast bulk of the hull, they appear
almost too light. Their extreme length from
step to truck is-mainmast 243 feet, fore
mast 2lS, and maizcn 189. The ma nyard
is LOG feet long, and The foreyard "a. Be-
tween the bulwarks whispering pipes are
laid running from the quarter deck to fore
castle, and all the officers orders are thus
transmitted with the most perfect certainty
and speed. Without some contrivance Of
the kind a vessel of such enormous length
would be both difficult and dangerous to
manage; for, no matter how large ships may
be built, there are most narrow limits to
what one pair lungs can effect, and in b: eezy
weather Stentor himself would be inaudible
at half the length of the Niagara.