Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1861-12-26
THE CANADA GUNBOAT FLEET
From the NcpfrssI coHrerotar Ads.rn.-r.

From she Neutral ou.r-erciEI AdtaTtIaar.
This swarm Of hornets. destined IN c4~s
of war to play an important nart ~ tie
contest. consists Of abou: z2O ve-~el-. ard
Is divided into four cla=se- The first
class. Of which tn FLYING Fish. one Of
the Prince Of Walez'- squadron va =
specimen. Is conn ,-ed Of -creae--ieame-s
of 300 feet in length. and $50 horse pow
or. and carry 40 100 pound Armstrong
pivot guns. ar four 42-pOUnd Armstrong
lgroadside gan-. The pivot guns are
placed one abaft the foremost and one BE-
tween the funnel. These boats arr very
fast. and draw abo,if nine feet when light.
The crew j. 100 men.
The second cla@e are $50 feet long. 200
horse power. carry four 6S-pounders. and
the crew number - hand. The draft S.
aabout : feet.
The third Gin are about 100 feet long.
Of 81 horse power engine. armed with
one - FOUNDER pivo; gun. and two bras
24-pounder howitzer, on the broadside.
This clas. ]. by far the most numerous Of
the AOtilla. their light draft. from 1 20 s
feet. enabling them to steam into shallow
creek and inlet. while their formidable
armament RENDER them effaytive again-r 4.
the strongest forts. The wkoi. bulwarks
are provided with movable wrought iron
plates. rife-proOf. and reaching sbqgt
seven feet above tie deck. % a. 10 pr
tect the men from the enemy rihemea
. in case Of having 10 force the passage of
narrow rivers defended by sharp shooters
The fourth class j also a useful 9otiIls
g for very shallow streams and close in -hore
/ service. II comprises vessels Of about -
/ feet long. the engine averaging 20 bor-s
power. each boat carrying two 32-pounde-
pivot guns amid-hips. the crew numbering
thirtv-six hand-. exclusive Of offer.
The draft OF water. with stores. ammuuj-
ton. provisions, and ggr.- Oh board does
not exceed - to / feet
Tie whole foilla = provided with
high-pres-ure locomotive boilers. the place
necessarily devoted 10 the machinery rep
dering this expeiien, absolutely impera-
tive TO economic the limited area. let,
small a. the horsepower appear. the
speed OF the feet of gun vessel. l. by no
mean. contemplate, the slowest averaging
10 < knots. and the fastest from 10 II 4
knots.
The mortar boat. 100 in number. are
cutter-rigged. with small spar. Their
tonnage average l20 tons. and their dra''
of water from ! TO feet. Each = ahOur
10 t-et long and II broad. and armed viii
one l3-inch mortar. weighing with stand,
2 ton. Some idea u the immense strength
Of the construction Of these yessels hay
b. formed when it J. mentionedthat under
each discharge the mortar recoiis with
pressure Of - ton,
The Who'll. Of this Aotilla could r.
equipped tor Ia in a few week.. and thtr
ho-til. presence upon the Canadian lake
would not only cover all Western Canada
from attack. hut render the America
lak, cite very unpleasant places Of resi-
dence for peaceable People. Al can pas
ur rh., ~. Lawr~nc,- annals. ssnd a -nss
part ot hem through the ahamblysint5
LAX Champlain.
There i no doubt that the wholsV
thu Ao,illa Gould pas through the Cham
blv into LAX Cilamplain, a. suggested b
, tts Montreal AGftTll-rF' OH We are -
iaite 80 -ure. on the other hand, that Z
could ra-, from Lake Champlain 'ai'
he cdop,5iy.'' again. Send the hotilA
, into Lake Champaign. and the YANKEES
j.. woulI take precious good care that
/ never lett 1ho-c waters unless manned b.
American -oldier-. destined upon q hOstis
expedition 10 Canada Our beliigersnf
nriehbor- better keep = ale distance from
. Plan-burgh. To them there must be ~
= pleasant associations connected with tas'
l. plac.-. which might have a depressing IN
p iu~nc- upon their -piril-. -noald stg
e. venture eco rear il