The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-09-23
The NEW IRON CLAD cvNsoAT.

The First Iron Clad Vessel Built I'm this
Countryside or Her Guns-How She II
Plated-Wood Covered by Bars OF Rail-
road Iron and then Sheathed with
Steel Plates.
Ihesupect OF iron clad vessels Of has agitatednava
Circles Tor many years, and at intervals Of few
months experiments have been made the ordnance de-
pos OF Doth the English and French nayes. Within the
TWO years England has launched three iron clad yes
se ana France These have built upon the latest
neors OF persons versed in such matters but ut the
oes' tney remain still theory; for there has been no
opportunity to give this class Of vessel fair trial.
IL all very well for the ordnance officers or special
commission appointed TO fire rled eighty and one hun
dred Founders at plates Of iron placed upon an old hulk
which is moored broadside and within very few hun
dred yards OF the gun II necessarily must occur that
the continued batering in spot win something
70 give away But when ship is in action, and say en-
gagged with forthcaton 1t is not likely that she will all
ways remain in spot, that the gunners in the for
can play upon her In spot At least good seaman
would pursue such No. he would shift his po-
siton and, II possible present little broaisde to the
enemy as possible without interfering with the range Of
his own guns and the risk of raking shot.
The two nations have mentioned have not only
boosted Of their iron clad ships but have rather sheer
gy poked the finger Of for backwardness
IN constructing this class of vessels.
Notwithstanding backwardness the time has come,
we think, whom will be able to show TO the world
an iron clad vessel which, though not large in tonnage,
VIII far sass in power of resistance anything trans
atlantic friends have at the present time, and possibly
anything hereafter unless they copy from our models
Our government have at length made up their mind to
build up navy worthy Of tho land and the people, and
moreover they havo determined to have iron clad ships
hs Well as other countries and to this end the Navy De-
parment have contracted for Zone at leas)
OF this class of vessels The vessels to be bu to DO
OF not less than ten sixteen feet draugh Of
water 10 carry armament of from eighty 10 hun
dred and twenty tons weight with provisions and stores
for from hundred and sixtyave to three hundred
persons according to armament for sixty days with coal
for eight days Each vessel will carry as,s and al
the standing rigging will be of wire rope
The plan of these vessels is entirely different from any
thing hitherto known in naval construction, in many
spects so entirely different that other naon lay
claim to have ever attempted anything OF tho sort In
fact, the vessels will be credit to nation and
they the right thing for shot proof vessel
than any thing known at the present day.
war vessel propelled by steam should possess the
following qualifications, viz
That the motive power should be out of the reach of
the shot Of the enemy. The vessel should be shot and
shell proof She should have speed enough to select her
position with precision and great rapidly. These quail
ties will be combined in these vessels
Eir-The engines and boilers will be below the water
line, and also protected by the armor which goes below
the light draught mark distance.
ScodThe construction of the vessel is such that she
is bomb proof and matter what position you may put
the vessel in, she presents nothing but curved lines,
which have the tendency to turn or the shot.
7hird-Tho propeller is far below the water line and
hnrd div In with n CHI 1ha jdari, ornns
merged.
Iburth-The entire working Of the batteries is under
bomb proof castings or decks and the armament to be
carried these heavier than anything now
known On shipboard
The FIRST one Of these vessels is in process Of
sructon at Mystic Connecticut in the yard of Maxson
Fish Co. The contract awarded to Mr. C. H. Bush
pe Of New Haven and he having it built the above
yard
This vessel the first built in this country will be
about thousand tons register Her dimensions are as
foows:-Iength all two hundred feet: extreme
BREADTH thrtysix feet six inches depth Of hold twelve
feet eight inches; draught OF water about eleven feet
The keel Is Of white oak sided fourteen inches in depth
fourteen inches Cardboard strakes are six inches in
thickness; bottom plank four inches thick; wales four
and half inches in thickness The bottom plank are
fastened with throe locust tree nails and composition
spike in each strske.
The engine and boiler nelson's will be Of white oak and
yellow PINE and of such dimensions as will be deemed
proper by tho engineer department.
The frame Of the vessel will he entirely solid Ord.
nary large spaces left between the and tmbcrs
Of vessels, but here they will be made solid with shll
ngs" Some idea can be formed Of tho thickness Of tho
vessel when we say that it is twenty inches from the
side the inside before the iron plating put upon cr
The beams of yellow PINE twelve by nine and a
half inches and the deck plank will be Of the same mate
rial, four inches in thickness
Tie cabins wardroom and steerages will be fitted M
similar TO those in the gunboats just launched She
has flush deck, which is the fighting deck Forward
and aft will be half decks for officers &c but tho engines
and boilers will cf occupy the midshp portion Of
it, The fighting deck, well the two half decks arc
Of wood but the upper deck only the upper part of the
bonbproor which the gunners There will be 10
houses guns this deck and it will be only used for
promenade and to work the ship while under CANVASS
Tho companion ways will give to the deck from
below series Of iron sancheons placed around this
deck, which placed wire netting prevent per-
sons from falling overheard.
She will DO brig rugged forward and schooner rugged
aft that she will in rig be hermaphrodte brig These
spars will be light she will depend principally on hor
steanng powers. She will havo small bowsprit madc
iron but it viii project outside of tho vessel more
than four feet.
She will carry four boats at her davits which hoist
sufficiently high to be out of the way Of tho guns
All the standing Sgging will be of wire rope, which is
less liable to be cut by fragments Of shell.
The stcersman will be located below decks and look
forward will signal to him while at the after wheel
and when he at the forward wheel he can see for him
self.
The Parish Will Case.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
The article in your paper of this msrnng, under tho
head Of s'Wi Of Mrs Susan NJ. PARISH contains so
many gross errors Esstatements and omissions cac.
lated dsparage the relatives Of the late Henry Parrish
and to mislead the public in regard to tho litigation in
which his estate is involved that deem IL my duty
to ask you, in justice TO those relatives, give this
place in the HERALD. In the article referred to it is
stated that Mrs Mcnson (who is cousin of the late
Henry parish ''the only relative OF Mr. Parish for
whon he had not provided' and '.who had not taken
part against the tcstatriX Whilst The fact IS that Mr.
Parish lett also his cousins german Miss sarah Parish
Mr. Ambrose Parish, Mrs. Wiliinrn b. Thompson Mr.
Richard Parish, Mrs. Sarah Smith, Nrs Macy Sorrs
Miss Eliza Lten, Miss Judith Iaten Mss Elizabeth Town
send Jacob Townsend Mrs Mary farcoprt Me