Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-12-20
Correspondence of the Free Press.
LETTER FROM NEW YORK.
New YORK, Dec. 8, 1866

NEW YORK, Dec y, 1900.
M,ssrs. Editors Of fhe Free Press:
For busy place just now, visi the Brook
Ivu Navy Yard. There nearly 1000 men en-
ployed in the different departments Of the Yard,
and with so large force, constructions and re-
psirs are pushed forward with great rapidity-
There are IL or IA U. S. vessels in the Yard now
a numbsr oe them steamers. fine vessel was
launched on Saturday, the CotoraTa. She is side
wheel steamer of about 900 tons, and is to carry
two Il.inch rifed cannon and two Parrot guns
She is built with bow and stern alike, as the ferry
boats here are,-the object being to avoid the ne
cess;tv of turning round after ascending river
or creek.
In the Dry Dock,-just now very ret,-wss the
U,noua, one of the new gun boats, awaiting ex-
animation for a supposed injury tie her bottom
She is handsome craft, carrying heavy pivot
gun amidships and several small brass pieces
At apother dock lay the hull of large pro-
heller. completely covered with workmen, like
dead beetle wit ants. Under huge derrick lay
a steamer-the Quaker City understand-taking
guns on board. Three other steamers lay close by
Further along was the Crusader, a 10 gun ship,
which has been on duty in the Galf,-with fire
under her boilers and blowing off steam; whether
inst come in, or getting ready to go out, cannot
saw. whole feet of sailing vessels lay around
her.
Out in the Basin lay the receiving ship, the
North Carolina, just as she has for l don't know
how many years 1t was impossible to procure
pass to visit her that day. She has 700 seamen
ca board now, over 20O of whom were received
! las. week Recruiting for the Navy is very
brisk, lust now. Government has purchased or
hired almost every steamer of any size that was
to be had here, all at least that can stand sea
! voyage And so large feet as the newly built,
| purchased, and hired vessels Of our Navy make,
requires very large force Of seamen tospan
them Since Port Royal the Nary is in high
! favor
| In the same ship-house that held the Niagara,
another steamer of the same bnild Is now on the
stocks. She will be called the Adirondack and Is
10 be just like the Niagara, but - feet shorter
| Her launch we'll worth seein
On the Square in trent of the ship-houses, lay
| rows of cannon, mostly columbiads, Of different
sizes, new, aud some of them evidently Just from
the foundry. Among them 1 not ced, all boxed
or framed, rather, ready for delivcry-one Of
| wizards steel guns, a rifed cannon which is at
tracing consider able attention just now, and IS
| by some held superior to any yet invented
| movable shed, covering three or four guns at
| time, contained armorers busily ct work finishing
| up the guns putting in sights, hammers, vents,
&c. And the whole place rang with the noise OF
hammer and mallet, chisel and plane. The
long rows of furnaces in the blacksmith shop were
all a-elow, carpenters swarmed every where, under
sheds, on docks, upon vessels; planks and timbers
! on strong mems shoulders, passing and re-
passing to different points where they were wanted,
! all the time; sentries paced back and forth on
! every dock; blue jackets few around like focks
| Of gulls If any one thinks ''the Government
is not doing much to put down the rebellion" let
him walk through the Brooklyn Navy Yard, for
ole place, and learn, if he can, how many vessels
have been sent out from it since the 4th of March
last. His opinion will change, at least as to the
Navy.
Of the standard curiosities of the Yard, the old
Spanish and French guns, the great " Peace
maker the Museum, &c, &c, I need say moth
ing; they have often been described; and noticed
nothing particularly new. except a trophy from
Pensacola, the compton of the gun spiked by the
Colorad0's boats, when the privateer Juiith wa:
,4..nsd ~ them in September.
Yours, BIN.