The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-02-15

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a 1ec esans ioe ~ exR eelaol ssee lesaee ~
esal month"; -. bss ~ sesea cAesaeeef e ~
oease. 1leoosee expsstleote navo beea maze
y oedee - eeee - eefeagth q The eeavy not.
tess WA veace ~ eeeeh afneds 81 - equip
ne9tee ~ veeees nas oeen = week q lime
Al Intervals the public have been oppstsod q
the progress q The work bestowed upoa TIE Il.
petition at the brooklyn Navy Yard, bat 70
complete account has been given u The charee-
ger Of ne armament Or the oejeoe vtaca ~
aees y intended 70 serve. 1oo eon3oaneo STATE
saents furnish history of ~ Increment:
nm nonsAns,
/ The twenty heavv moetars vhich form tae
..;n.s,.t ..s...s.s - ~ 49, 49, - -
S;..ss-. ~ ~ - s.,..s.e. -. ~ .s.....hs
M. - 800. i. -. ..,.-.,ess shr.,ssA
no~"a. !. s;,St "a : h.lf 49,. sIs.sss eo.sl
= ~ ..s,.hs 81 ~ inicc M. coinrhIeS1 vhieh
are neariv tkfee tiues he leneth 81 the sostass
The diameter Of The bore u thirtesa inchsa-
The total depth Of Tie bore b thlsty-Ave inches
"a litsle more thsn two end . half tinse IL
| dlamater. Bat the MOTT remarkable feature il
their construction 3 the thickness Of metal
around the bore. which y ct every poiat % leo
than fifteen inckeA The srunaions uaeasure A.
teen inches Ia diamstef The snsirs lsngth Of
the mortar = City inches, and he aeNsgats
dianater forty.tbree inchea O. more than three
and : half feet.
Ordinary moetara are quite lishk compared
with their calibre. Those Of En9lieh manufac-
ture. Of thirteep.Inch bore. weigh froa two tens
(lAnd service) 70 Rye tons and ffacsio1, (ths
heaviest sea-coast moesars) fhoee with which
Commodore PorterS vessels arc provided
which may b uoed alike fos - aid land service
-sre about double he weight and otreoeth
Of the 0apuroveds Rnelish moftafs, which have
| frequently hurst, shough comparatively small
/ charges Of powder we're used and short ranges
obtained.
Commodore Postsrs mostars ere elevated Or
depressed by means Of cos.like projections on
the breecb. into which . lover o., Supported BY
the framework of the carriage. By means Of
tie accurate working Of the revolving platform
and the carriage, ranges can easily be obtained
i Il ID believed that accurate firing may be made
ct . distance Of two and quarter miles.
rss noarAa yrsaua
The vessels Of the mortar Asst number tvsn.
ty-one, and, with the exception Ct the aa9'seip,
are sailing vessels Nearly aM OF ines ass
echooDefs OF two OF three hundred tons 0ufsoen.
Originally they were lifted out e war vessels,
ana pierced for four OF Ok guns. steamers can
not Do advantageously employed, tne PonosetU ~
mortars necessarily occupying sn1 ccusss - s..e
vessel, 20 that the position usually sssieneo 70
the engines or machinery OF steamer y saken
up. Beddes. these small vessels are stronger, "
proportion, tean large ones; their hgns ersueo'
lifting them for the navigation OF snahow VA
tiers, and their small tonnage requiring compare
lively few men TO mango them. snofeovel, % .
mortar vessel nights best At anchor, faciHty Of
movement 10 unnecessary
The adaptation Of these schoonen % the NOR
tars service il admirable. An almost solo ,ness
OF wood has been built from the keet 70 the
upper deck. This stAunch ground work u com.
posed of timbers over one loot squares ana
twelve feet 10 length, interiaced ana nrmiy 1ss
tened Two or three inches ABOVE the uppes.
deck the bed" 10 built, consisting Of solid
horizontal surface, circular in form, with .
track" near it edge. upon which run rollers
bearing revolving platform. The great NOR.
var pea - csreIumy Ocaceu' AUG suPpolsea ~
the reco;i If tho mortar The desion 4 anna
rentlv perfect
TIE REVOLVING fLAIsosA.
and bearing the mortar carriage, 10 constructed
Of heavy timbers, and il one foot in depth, and
nearly twelve feet In diameter. When in pc
sition for discharge, It Lies fat and firmly OF
the bed, but BY ingenious mechanism it may b,
made TO revolve, in order 70 aim the mortar Il
any direction, TO resight it If the vessel shift
its position. The change Of direction 10 easil.
and quickly accomplished. By means Of fou
eccentric sxles in the platform, to which lever,
are fitted, the mortar aad machinery (weighinl
altogether ten t0ns) may be raised, and th,
weight transferred BY the same movement 70
great number of metallic rollers attached to
frame work of:immense strength under the plat
form. Then BY means of tackle. already Or
! ranged, the whole may be moved 70 its desiret
position and instantly BY q reverse movement
replaced on the bed. In the centre of the plat
form, and extending into the solid mass beneath
IL an iron cylinder or spindle which prevents an!
o !, 49,; 'o ;n.". =, -; = ....;h..
81 x ,.... ~. s - .nS .'. ~.
S., ~ ~" ~ "a =: .s.. =. ~. - ~
~. $3.50. ~. 49,. "a ''' '''o'
'"' 0''e' 'o' '1'''
fHE MORTAR cARaiA0E.
The mortar carriage 10 constructed almost ex
clusively Of wrought iron. IT. length ID abou
} nine feet, and it, highth and width each fou
feet In form 1t bears che slightest possible "a
4
Al the point where the mortar rests, in tho d
rection Of the breech; and having wheels, ye
"a IT, 4. ae'S. az - ~
| iron. rivited together. braced and bolted. Il i
frame. work Of excellent design. and. thong
weighing probably NOT more tbsn two tons. h
capsble Of resisting : presaure Of one 40 -
hundred tons.
Two wheels are set close to the frame vork
, directly under the mortars: and connected vitl
them aie eccentric axles. 30 arranged a. to b
thrown on the wheels. that the carriage may b
; moved on them.
: Il is not intended. however. that the recoil O
the mortar shall in any degree DO taken up .
lessened 10 its efect BY the moving Of Oh
wheels. The carriage lies on the platform whe
the mortar is discharged, and the only possibl
! motion will be that Of the vessel in the water.
Il rHr Bonss AID POWDER.
The homh.he,,s - he s.h,o-r f.on., n. mo,
tar. ara If ths ord;o.rv Ssscrn,ins ,..smhin
! ronnd el,o. hrt hoiIoy .rd E.;sh;r. ,,c1sil.,
] 90. - hnaS.ss ..,.,s. -. $3.50 s. ~
U,;d.,,. o.Sn.nes ts.I.. ieaua !. s a 49,. -.