New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-17

call TO your attention thefgsllsnt conduct OF Cos.
ardson, Capt. 3ritch5ebneider, who conn. ~aST ;. 80
skirmishers, Capt. Ayres, Lieut. Lorraine, VIII to.S
gret 10 say, was wounded, lients. Dresser, iS VI,
and Fallen, attached to Ayres's Battery, and Lie va
Benjamin and Babbitt in charge OF the two 2opouDd.
rifod guns all of whom displayed great cooness en-
ergy. and skill 10 the discharge Of their Official duties
With great respect bSyTS xvi ScfSf TaTPs ss'''''
Bngsdiet General Comgsn Let D''is'ea
Brig. Cor. MCDowsLI, CorDdg. n Z Virginia
THE SHIP-YARDS AND MACHINE-SHOPS
The stagnation which had so long lain upon the
crafts of engiue aud shipbuding was suddenly DIS
PEELED by the breaking ont of the rebellion, ard now,
under the stimulus impaired to these branches of the
mechanic arts in the creation of the gunboat feet
and the equipmen. of old steamers and merchantmen
for purposes, the shp-yards and machine-shops,
recently so idle and empty once more resound with
the CHEEKY hum Of labor and the musc of the adze and
anvil To-day the first Of the twenty-three gunboas
now building for the Government in this city aud
vicinity Philadelphia Boston, and other points will
be launched at o'clock p. m from the yard Of John
Engli at Tenth street. East River. Since the signing
of the contract the 18th Of June every energy has
been put forth N set the vessel aoa early posi-
bic; and the engines already completed, we
may safely say that this new war vessel will he in
commission before the middle Of September. BY the
end Of September the whole fleet may be in active
service provided there be no unnecessary delay In the
provision Of guns and sesmep.
Though uominsly g,mboats, the size, strength, aud
armament Of these vessels place them among tho first
cass ships of war. They are 10 be Of equal dimen-
sions, aud IA nearly similar il is possible TO make
them. Tho extreme length is l66 feet, the width ~
feet, and the depth Of hold IL feet Tho timber IL
mostly Of white oak, ard the knees, braces and iasten
ings Of tue strongest and most complete descrp-
ton The draft Of water is calculated will be about
nine feet.
The armament viii consist of twelve 5-pounders,
with pivot gun amidships-probably colurnbiad of
the beaviest dotcription, smaller pivot gun may be
placed on The forocsslle deck The vessels wilt be
schooner rigged aud propelled by two screws, driven
TWO back action engines with 30-inch cylinders, each
complete in itself An auxiliary engine will also he
on board. The speed to bs obtained from the steam
power alone reckoned be fourteen 70 fifteen knots
Nh hour. Thus these vessels will be faster than any
other war craft aIOa The speed Of the English gun
bosts is sr4rcely more than nine knots.
The complement Of mer required is urderstocd to he
less than 200, though that number nigh; be advan-
tageously employed.
As at prcaent seen in Eness yard the vessel about
to be launched appears 10 be OF very beautiful model
the bows being slightly omsmented and ending IN a
plain cylindrical bowsprt the mldship section being
nearly Hat nj bottom, butthe fore and after parts ale
sharp and adapted TO speed. The copper is already
on and the shaft aad screw are also In their places.
The engines viii be uuder water, aud also protected
from external injury by layer Of coal
At Westeryelts yard, where another gunboat was
commenced al the same time. the launch viii take
place about next Saturday. -Four merchant vessels
are being transforued, under the supeiniendenoe OF
Dan Weseryeit, 10 men-of-war, namely: the banks
Arthur, 200 tuns; BrazoeFo, COO tuns; Gem oi the
Sea, 400 tans and Amanda, 100 tuns. The changes
consist in Strengthening and putting in bracn9s for the
support Of guns and adapting space for tie quarterng
Of men aud officers and keeping stores Great activity
prevails at the yard.
AtWe ebb's yard tie ocean steamers James Adger,
Augusta and Florida each 400 800 tuns the pro-
pelles Edwin Il. Halo aud Valley City, and the tow
boats Mercury and U. NJ. Petit ARE being converted
into war vessels the changes consisting Of the repair
Of engines tearing away OF oiners' work, aud pre-
pairing sliding places and ports for armor.
At Roose welt s ,Joyces yard the Chinese steamer
Po-Ysng win he launched one week from to-day. A
smaller Chinese steam craft about finished, Will be
AZ Lawrence ~ Foulke's yard, in Williainsburgh,
the war has had any serious influence, their work
having steadily continued. The steamer Kee-Chsng.
"A large and sper.old vessel OF 200 tnns, Will be
launched in SIX weeks, aud small swim halbor tug OF
60 tuns has Just been commenced for \. Forbes Co
AT Mr. Davi.'s yardin williamsburg, the new ocean
steamboat Mcrcdita, is being transformed into war
vessel by removing the cabins making flush deck Of
five inch thickness plank, and raising the bulwarks
The Mercdita j. dagonaly baced, and will mount 10
guns Another steamer OF the same size, aud nearly
tn. same class will be built by Mr. Davis in tho her
edtss stead engage in the Texas and Havana trade
IA soon rs the war ceases The heel will be laid neX
week.
Mr.. Stack has nearly completed gunb1at, which
will be launched about Monday week, and Mr.. Sluon'
son Of Green Point will launch another from his yard
al out the same time. Mr. Webb will launch his about
the 27th large. steamer commenced in Seerss yard
is lying idle.
Mr.. Poon, foot of Ridge street, Brooklyn, has a
gunboat so far audcr way that the launch may bo an
nouneed for two weeks hence. Mr. Poillon will i'm
thereafter commence the building OF large
government side.wheel steamer ~
The Novelty Iron Works have beeu engaged on
seven pairs Of engines constituting the machinery Tor
seven different Government gunbois, being a unusu-
ally heavy ofthese, four pair already completed,
and the three remaining half way along so as to be
also completed in two weeks from this time.
At the Aaire Works, the engines for two gunboats
are about half doue one being intended for Polons
bpll and the other for one built at Belfast, Maine.
The Alare Works are also overhaung the steamboats,
Augusta, Alabama Kill Won kull, and Star oil sonth,
at the same time that carpenters are at work IN trans
forming these and other steam vessels about eight in