The New York herald., 1861-12-07

Our Iron-clad ships-Of-War for the
United states Navy.


Our Iron-Clad shfps-of-War for the
United states Navy.
Congress last summer passed an act authoriz-
ing the Secretary of the Navy to advertise for
proposals to build one OF more iron-cad ves-
sells of-war--parties proposing TO furnish their
own plans To build such rs should be accepted,
an appropriation of $l,50O,0Oo was made, With
the proviso that these plans should meet the ap-
proval OF three commanding officers Of the navy.
Advertisements were accordingly issued, and u
board appointed, consisting Of Commodores
Joseph Smith and Hiram Pauldipg and Captain
Charles H. Davis. Three plans were adopted
by these gentlemen, all differing materially
from each other, and one from each design was
ordered to be built at once Among those ac-
cepted was ono presented by the we'll known
engineer, Captain Ericsson, of this city. As
might naturally be expected from tho Captains
professional history, his design commences from
an entirely different standpoint from any YES
sells Of this class heretofore built
twill be rems2S,sed by many Of our read
ers that when he designed the Princeton, twenty
years ago, he produced q vessel Of on entirely
different stamp from anything which had pre-
ceded her. She, being the first war vessel which
had all the machinery below the water line, out
of the reach of shot, was the first successful ap-
plication of the screw propeller; the first that
burned anthracite coal, thus avoiding the
smoke, which, even now, In all foreign wal
steamers, reveals to the enemy the position of
the ship at long distances OF sea; the first
which lowered the smoke pipe completely out
Of the way Of the sails, and the first which used
blowers, making the supply of steam indepen,
dent Of the height Of the smoke pipe.
Similarly, in designing his iron-clad vessel
instead of proceeding rs his French and Eng
lsh predecessors have done, upon the plan Of
loading down vessel Of ordinary form and
character with shot-pro6 armor, which, if car
ried to sufficient extent to make the defence
complete, sinks the vessel, he commences
by adopting the form which gives the great-
est buoyancy with the smallest area Of
target. This Characteristic buoyancy
and small target-enables him to completely
protect every part of the vessel, all its attach
ments and every person on board, when under
the hottest fire of the enemy. A broad,
Hst potiOmcu tcSScl, Will lcflital SiucS ana
pointed ends, requires but a shallow depth
to dispMce water sufficient to buoy itself up,
though loaded with an impregnable armor
upon its sides, a bomb-proof deck, on the top
of which is placed shot-proof revolving turret,
containing pair Of the heaviest guns.
To give such vessel the power of locomoton
it is only necessary to suspend beneath it
vessel of ordinary strength, sufficiently narrow
and sloping at the sides that ifas actual expert
ment has proven possible--the enemy,s missile
should pass below the shot-proof upper vessel,
these sides can only be hit at such an acute
angle that no harm shall ensue, and in its
length approaching the bow only so nearly that
its raking stem may receive the shot fired from
directly ahead in the same way, and at the
stern giving space sufficient to permit the dip
ping shot coming from directly aft to pass under
the shot-proof end, directly on its course, with
out hitting the rudder, which is placed abaft the
propeller. Then, with an anchor suspended in
circular well, open at the bottom, situated in
the extreme bow Of the upper vessel, and con-
nected with the capstan in the bow of the lower
one shot-proof pilot house on deck and an
arrangement within the lower vessel for taking
soundings, the whole is complete. r. g.2
The contract for the vessel Of the above
character, now building bears date the 4th Of
October, and stipulates that she shall be com
pleted in one hundred days therefrom-about
six weeks hence. The hull is on the stocks Of
T. +. Roland at Greenpoint, and is Of the fol-
1cVu;ur, dfD,opoiono.