The true Democrat., 1857-02-03
From the N Y. Tribune. The Monster Steam battery for the De fence of N. Y. Harbor.

Tbe great iron war steamer, which is now il construction at lIoboken for the government being an object of much interest, we have beei at considerable pains to collect reliable infor nation in regard to her, principally through the medium of our Washington cores sponderts; ana as It differs very materially from the statement recently made Ill various quarters, we give it tt our readers.
 In 1642, the late Mir. Robert l.. Stevens frs broached to the government the subject of har- Dor defence by means Of steam batteries of iron which should be shot and shell proof and in lS43, Congress, by special act, directed that the Navy Department should contract with him for such a vessel. In l844 contract was ac- cordingy made with him by Mir. Mason, then secretary of the navy, under which Mir. Ste vens commenced collecting materials and con structing the dry dock in which the vessel Is now building.
 MT. Stevens bound himself by this contract to construct a war steamer suitable for use in the waters of New York, from Sandy Hook upward It was stipulated that she should be built of iron, that she should be shot and shell proof against ordnance then in use on ships of war; that she should have four engines, and be propelled by submerged propeller, which should have great speed.
 Her dimensions were to be not less than two hundred and fifty feet in length and forty feet beam and her cost complete, including an ar mament of not less than six heavy guns, was not to exceed five hundred and eighty seven thousand dollars.
 For the further fulfllment of this contract, the government required and received from M r. Stevens ample security, as it was further stipu- lated that payments should be made to him as he proceeded with the constructionnp to $500 OoO, and that the remaining $87,O should be paid when the ship was completed and re- ceived
 Mir Stevens encountered macy difficulties ia making his preliminary arrangements, aud 1t was not until July, 1854, that the actual con- struction was commenced. Meantime he had decided, after more fully studying the subject, to increase the dimensions of the vessel very much. Instead of four engines aud one pro- peller she has eight engines and two propellers. Her boilers are ten in number, of large dmen- sons, and her power will be nearly equal to nine thousand horses The vessel is in very advanced state, and the machinery, boilers and dependencies, are all complete and in place.
 Owing to her greatly increased dimensions beyond those stipulated for in the contract the cost will be much increased, but how much we are not able to state. The payments by the government cannot exceed $50OOOO until the vessel is delivered and received, unless Con- gross should make further appropriations.
 Since the construction was commenced, the original protector, Mir. Robert L. Stevens, has died, but it is stated that his brother, E. A. Stevens, esq, is determined to complete the vesssl-that good force is now at work, under the same general supervision which has been employed from the commencement Mir. 5. is prosecuting the work from his own resources, we are told, in the fullest confidence that the ship will in all respects meet public expectation, and that Congress will not suffer him to sustain any loss.