The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-13
TIE STEVENS SUBMARINE BATTERY.


Only Two Men to be On Deck-The Deck
10 be Seventeen Inches Below the Water
Linc-A New Era i'm Submerged Bate
ries-What Naval Officers Think OF Her,
&C., &C.. Sc.
In these times OF our national troubles has been tie
privilege Of the HERALD to record many Of morito
roas conduct on the part Of wealthy citizens prompt
cd solely By tho love OF their country aad their desire
"a aid 20 tie utmost Of their Individual ability in sup
pressing this unhoy rebellion. Those acts win
main upon tho page Of history as an example well
an incentive, 10 succeeding generations, Among the
latest Of thee markell expires ions of patriotism
The action Of f. A. Stevens ESQ, Of Hobokcn, tho Com
moGose OF tho New York Yacht Squadron who has built
an iron vessel Of very peculiar character, fully
ed and equipped, which he will present TO the United
States government, through Mr. Chase, the Secretary Of
the Treasury. Mr. Stevens only baids her but
her and in gact turns her to M Chase ready FOR
active service, without is costing the govcrnm mt
dolar.
il won,d perhaps, be wei, state before describing
Inc vessel, tbs circumstances which influenced Mr. Ste
yens TO make such mnnihccnt gift to The government,
Tho facts briefly these:Mr. Stevens Commodore
Of tho New York Yacht Club unanimously requested
by the members TO terder 10 the government such Of the
vasses belonging 10 the squadron they might think
proper 10 select In compliance with this desire Mr..
Stevens al once proceeded TO Washington, and Ind
interview with Mr.. Chase reference 10 The sGbect
During he conversation the sub of the superiority Of
steam led Mr.. Stevens to make the follow
ing proposal TO Mr. chase--tShoud the government
quc any of The yacht squadron for any purpose they
are At the service OF the several departments Mf.
Chase stated that, should they desire 10 use any
one Of them, they should feel no hesitancy
IN accepting tlem, and thanked the Club for
tltnr .fnr Mr. IN
Mr. Chase, if you viii accept steam gunboat, v-nich
viii bad-and promise that she shall action, or &C
taa Ggh,ng serviceshc will be placed your disposal
without cost, MS she can be finished.
This the FIRST time it had been mentioned and from
the return OF Mr Stevens from Washington nothing was
said about to any one until few weeks ago, whcn in
some correspondence between the two gentlemen Mr..
Chase surprised TO learn that Mr. stevens had
ally built the boat, and she fast approaching compile
ton. Fearing there might be misundersta ding
MI Stevens written to- asking how much the vessel
would cost the government TO which again Mr.. Stevens
replied that, "ir the government would accept her. he
would deliver her over to them soon finished as
token Of his desire to aid the Union cause
Here the matter ended und in the course Of few
days she will make trial trip in haIbor. The yes
sci is at Bordcntown, N j.. receiving her finishing
touchls The hall is bult Of ron in the usual manner,
being firm and botei TO iron beams and Knees. Her
length is hundred and feet twenty feet beam,
depth Of hold feet Elk inches. When ightshe viii
draw about -four feet Of water, bat when in action her
draught will be between seven and eight feet Her BAL
warks OF white cedar, because being brittle they
will not splinter ike pine and oak They are two feet
thick outside Of the huh and thick inside ex-
tending above the deck three feet inches three
feet nne inches below. The lower part of the bulwaks
are rounded Off, and give great buoyancy and stability
the motion Of the vessel The outside Of the buwars
is plated with wrought ron securely boted through the
woodwork. She has two engines, each working inepcn
dcnty Of the other Each OF them gives power screw
propeller, That by reversing engine and moving
the other ahead the vessel is turned within own
length and rapidly is this evolution performed that it
only rcqu minue and half to the vessel one
hundred and eighty degrees The utility of this arrange
ment for war vessel is apparent to the most casual
reader.
The smoke stack will be hinged to lower down,
and not present perpendicular mark for the enemy
gunncrs. Besides the two main engines there arc tUo
auxiliary engines, used for The purpose a. io.lng tic
water compartments or throwlps OIL he water. Tue
capacity Of these pumps IS two thousand gallons each
per minute.
The hold Of the vessel is divided nte iur apartments
The forward one is for water; the second officers and
mems quarters; the third engine and boiler roo
ward and aftermost bulkhcads are water tight In the
bottom Of the vessel in each of the water
hole, sixteen inches IN diameter, which is fitted
valve which is worked from the deck. force pump is
10 each apartment also to pump out the water.
When the vessel is ready to approach battery with
the view Of attacking it, the valves opened in each Of
the water apartments and large rushes in aud
assist in settling the vessel faster the pumps
work, and two streams are thrown in upon the deck
which runs down hatch into the apartments. When
the vessel is settled to the proper depth there seven
teen inches Of water over the deck It is that the
heavy wooden buwarks come The rescue and steady
the submerged vessel.
To prevent tho water running into the engine and
the officers quarters, high combiugs placed around
the hachway which rise several inches above the level
Of the water The hemsman is placed in box which
has fanges upon it, and settled down the after hatch
way completely out Of range. From here he see TO
steer the vessel well direct the engineers to the
working Of the engines One other man remains on deck
to ire the gun.
The vessel is armed with r1ed one hundred FOUNDER
gun Of the Parrot patent This gun placed in the
Of the vessel, upon dais, around which rises high
combing to prevent the water from reaching IT, The gun
is mounted upon carriage which is the design Of Mr..
scvens--a plan which is entirely new and very novel
Instead Of the gun recong sde in the carriages
now IN use it recoils centre pin, around which is
placed gutta percha sufficiently heavy to receive the
whole force Of the concusson without allowing the gun
TO only very tring distance The gun loaded BY
men standing in the hold or in the mems quarters
The process Is simple The mu2ze Of the gun is de.
pressed to the comhing, which is built angle of orc
to five, and the cartridge is inserted and rammed home
The shell is then put in, and also rammcd home.
The gun is then elevated to any position from point
TO twenty degrees. The deck fires it, and the
some process is continued long is required. The
position Of the gun Is shifted by means Of handspkes
inserted in the centre pin, and worked by two in the
hold
When this novel craft is in position by settling her in
the water nothing visible to the enemy but the outline
Of the hull marked by the buwarks unsubmerged and
the gun amidshp. To person in the slightest degree
acquainted with gunnery !, viii be readily seen how
difficult il win be TO hit this craft
Her adaptation to war purposes is admirable, and
there can be but little doubt that trial OF this vessel
will lead to rev channel in the construction of floating
batteries.
With such n vessel this IL would be an easy matter
10 upon enemy during the darkness OF night ana
sink his vessels, and also to surprise an encanpment
or seriously irjure fort or battery. Those of our
naval officers who lave seen the vessel are very