, 1861-12-21

e. 4. Stevens, Esq, Of HoboRoa, the Com
modore Of the New York Yacht Squadron, has
built an iron vessel, Of a very peculiar charac-
ter, fully armed and equipped, which he Will
present to the United States Government,
through MI. Chase, the Secretary OF the freas-
ury. Mr.. Stevens not only builds her but
arms her, and, IN fact, turns her over to Mr.
Chase ready for active service, without its
costing the Government one dollar. This
gentleman went to Washington to represent
the Yacht Club, and tender to the Government
the select1on Of any one Of their fne vessels.
At this interview with Mr.. Chase, Dir. Stevens
asked If the Department would accept from
himself steam gun boat, and since that time
haa-been diligently ut work upon her coz
Btruction, and as soon as fully completed Mr.
stevens will turn her over, free Of cost, to the
United States. She is thus described:
The vessel IS now st Bordento~n, New Jer-
Eey, receiving her finishing touches. The hull
is built Of iron, in the usual manner, being
firm, and bolted to iron beams and knees. Her
| length is one hundred and one feet, twenty
| feet beam, depth Of hold seven feet sIx
inches. When Light she viii draw about four
feet Of wafer, but when In action her drauyht
will be between seven aud eight feet. Her
bulwa1ks are Of white cedar, because, being
brittle, they will not splinter, like pine and
oak. They are two feet thick outside Of the
| hull and one foot thick inside, extending
abGve the ths +,dss dsek .t th1es re- feet os ten
low. The lower palt Of the balwa1ks
are rounded OF, md give great buoJancy and
stability to the motion Of the vessel. The
outside Of the bulwarks is plated with wrought
iron, securely bolted through the woodwork.
She has two engines, each working indepen-
I 4f $har nh ~
power to screw propeller, SO that by revers-
ing one engine and moving the other ahead
the vessel is turned around within her own
length; and SO rapidly is this evolution per.
formed that it only requires one minute and q
half to turn the vessel one hundred and eighty
degrees. The utility OF this arrangement fol
war vessel is apparent to the most casual
reader.
The hold Of the vessel Is divided into fou1
apartments The forward one is for water
| the second, officers and mems quarters; til.
third, engine and boiler room, and the fourth
or after one, is also water tank. The for
, | ward and aftermost bulkheads are water tight
: In the bottom Of the vessel, in each Of tn
water apartments, is a hole, sixteen inches il
: diameter, on which is fitted valve, which i
worked from the deck. A force pump is i,
; each apartment also to pump out the water.
When the vessel Is ready to approach a bat
, | tery with the view Of attacking it, the valve
are opened in each Of the water apartments
| anu la1EE SLIe34u ruhte6 LII 1l1Q 10 tSS1SL In
vessel in settling faster the pumps arc set t.
: work, and two streams are thrown in upon th
deck, which runs down q hatch into the apart
ments. When the vessel is settled to tn
l proper depth there is seventeen inches Of va
ter OYER the deck. It is now that the heay
wooden bulwarks come to the rescue an
$ steady the submerged vessel.
4 The vessel is armed with one rifed one hnn
t dred FOUNDER gun of the Parrott patent Thi
gun is placed in the centre Of the vessel, upo
L i dais, around which rises high combing
q prevent the water from reaching it. Who
0 this noTel craft is in position, By settling he
4 in the water, nothing is visible to the enem
- but the outline Of the hull, marked By th
= bulwarks submerged and the gun auidshiE
/, To person in the slightest degree acquainte
J. with gnnnery it will be readily seen how diff
cult it will be to hit this craft. With such
vessel as this it would be M easy matter
= come upon an enemy during the darkness
/, night and sink his vessel, and also to surpris
= an cncampment or seriously injurc fort 6
battery. Those of our naval officers who hay
e seen the vessel are very much in favor Of th
II plan.