, 1861-02-11
The Water Battery at Charleston.
fGar-s pordeEce Of tke Y. Y. TEibunel


~, >, =: I. -, , Nnlt, IIIrrIts
T., !a.s J. :'"s ''t tue foot Of
i..',', ,'": ~t.::4. w.. erA-y ard, believe.
4. yr1'i: 1cc, III: ipuk like h very formidable
thing. Its proportions and outlines ara not
fully developed. You might worzhip 1t nnd
4nents, 1t u made Of sared Southern pine
timber twelve inches square, green, and much
Ike pigiron In to water. and liable to be eaten
up by the waterg1ubs in three dnys- ! SUP
pose, however, The projectors know what they
arc about They probably intend TO give the
tect It from the enemy that is fatal to every
thing but stone, metal and Palmetto logs. It
would be dif1icnlt to deacziba the thing In it,
present state, NUT Is It easy to Bee what It IL
going to be. Itis something less than 100 feet
long, and about, ,e5 feet wide. Tho bottom is
fat Into which the side timbers are framed,
which go up, atot perpendicular, but At IN out
ward inclination Of about 40 degrees, present.
ing an uneven slopt OH shes soptsida These
e!da ttmbers, which are set endTayB, are about
Is feet long On the upper end are framed
other short ttmbera, which present the appear
ance Of rafters sawed of at the length OF IRON
three to five feet, The idea i get is that
another act Of timbetB are to be Eumed into
theee ehort r2ftcrs, reaching down to the floor
Ing, thus forming a chamber to be filed In
with come resisting material, which, with the
thickness Of the Inner and outer frame, win
II 1s simple, and may be Practicable. It has
been in the course Of construction about two
weeks. From 50 to rs hands are employed on
it, and the contractor would put on ~ many
more II he could get them. Ship carpenters
are scarce. No one is Permitted to approach
nearer tban ths STREET to The thing, rope hav
yard, and guards stationed there,
CHAR1EsroH. 8. c., Feb. 2, 1861,
m fha inn Ro%* t.
ward as rapidly as possible. Within the last
twenty~tour hours the features Of the thing
have been conaidefably developed. 1t would
appear that the projecting timhera, or short
ralters, OF which hare spoken, are to form q
covering or roof for the men at the guns. The
thing in the $tyle of hessle bridge, and In
al will be between three aud floar feet in
thickness. now understand that it is not the
design to roof the structure entirely over but
tor the most part, with tho exception Of the
covering haro mentioned, Is to be left open.
six OF right feet Of water, above which, around
the sides, under the protection spoken Of,
there will be a raised platform for guns and
men. The idea OF the water, it Ii aupposed, Is
to destroy the effect Of the bombs which fall
into 1t. The opening in the roof probably has
reference to the effect Of the concnssiou on the
men serving the guns
The utmost :pi iecaulion has been adopted to
prevent the plan Of the structure becoming
Known even to the mechanics any faster ttan
the work goes forward. I will eudeayor to
send you drawing Of the thing a. soon as it
shall have become sufficiently developed. Il
is being pierced Tor twenty guns of tn heayi.
est description.
The structure would seem to be altogether
too light for its purpose, and that;i would not
long. Nlthetand the effect Of heavy shot. It
was intended to taYe it in readiness to receive
the guns this day; but II 3 week moss brings
II to that point, the contractor will do well.
The whole structure is strengthened and
stifIene1 by the Introduction of rods Of iron.
though even then It will manifestly lack stiff.
ness, considering the great weight of the pc
enllar character Of the timber used. In this
respect It Is wholly ont Of proportion.