The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-05-31
First Steam War Ship.

In the year 1913, the greatly distinguished
Robert Fulton proposed to the President Of
the United States the building of a great war
steamer, to be called DemoIogos, and he exc
cuted drawings and specifications for her en-.
tire construction and armament She was to
carry great battery, furnaces for red hot
shot, submarine guns to discharge hundred
pound balls into an cncmy's vessel below her
water line, and, in additien to this, her engine
was to discharge an immense column of hot
wafer upon the decks and throug gh the port
holes, thus making her the most tremendous
war vessel ever suggested by human iugenu-
ity The cost of the Demologos was estim.
ated at $320,000. In the subsequent year,
March 1914, Congress made an appropriation
for building this vessel, its chief object being
that Of floating battery for coast defense.-
Fulton was appointed chief engineer, and
Adam and Noah B:own, of New York, re.
ccived the contract for the hull, and in the
month of October following, these enterpris-
ing shipbuiIders had her safely launched in
the presence ofa vast multitude of people who
lined the shores of the East river. In length
she was 1856 feet breadth, Sc feet depth,
20 feet and her wheels were l6 feet in diam
cter. In May, 1915, her engine was fitted
up; the cylinder was 4S inch bore; stroke
60 inches; and her capacity 2,475 tons.
The trial trip was made on the first of J June,
and was considered very successful, the speed
attained being 3 4 miles per hour. FIam-
ing reports Of this dcvil.ship soon reached
Europe, and in a treatise on steam vessels
which WAS published in Glasgow Scotland,
about that time, the author of the work, Civ
ing full and accurate account of the Demo-
logos, described her as being 1900 feet in
length; breadth, 200 feet, thickness of her
sides, IL feet-alteruatc oak planks and cork
wood carries 40 guns, of which are 100.
Founders can discharge 100 gallons of boil
ing water per mnnte,aud by ingenious mech.
anism, brandishes 800 cutlasses with the ut
most regularity over her guuwales,and works
an equal number of heavy iron pixies of great
length, darting them from her sides with pro,
digious force"
AS this vessel was built during the excite
ment of the last war with England, the fore
going description shows that she was re.
viewed from the shores of Scotland with a
'Sio'ooPo '"i oAi P'Sol"5 All 1'n udSuilylh
powers the great instrument of Lord Rosse.
Under its focus the Den1o'ogos sweled into
proportions beside which the La Glorie, the
Black Prince, and all the recent great Acat.
ing batteries of England and France are
mere pigmies Great Britain was in commo.
tion by the news of the DemoIogos being
launched, but peace being declared soon after
ward, her scalding water, flashing cut|asses,
and thrusting pixies never had chance Of
cooking an EngIishman, spiking Scot, or
an Irishman.
The Demologos was used as a receiving
ship at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, from 1915
until the night Of June 4, 1929, when she
blew up, killing "a men and wounding 49,
The cause Of this unfortunate accident has
never been satisfactorily ascertaincd. The
Demoiogos was the first steam vessel of war
ever built.-Scientifc american.