The daily Wabash express. (Terre-Haute, Ind.) 1857-1867, 1862-02-18

An i1vutneraOic Ftoatfug Bauert.
The Ericsson Floating Battery, built 70.
the Government. Was safely launched on
Thursday last from the Continental Iron
Works at Groenpoint. New York. Its pecu-
lisrities and formidable character may be
learned from the subjoined account Of Il.
which We copy. with some abndgment. from
the New York Courier. According to the
terms Of the contract. this battery Is not to
be accepted by the Gov~ument until It's
efficiency shall hare been fully tested
GENIAL DEscsISrioS or rHE vEssEI.
The vessel has been constructed with the
intention Of attaining absolute invulnerabl-
ny under the guns OF the most powerful bat
teries. There are. In effect, two bulls TO
the vessel. The lower one. which IL entire
" under water. Is about six feet deep, built
lightly. Eat bottomed, sharp at both ends.
and with sides inclining at ali angle of ffty-
one degrees TO the vertical line. The sec
ond or upper hull comprises the defensive
portion, has straight sides. is longer and
broader than the under one, Is five feet
deep. sinks into the water three feet and
three i.scnes, and Is covered with heavy iron
armor. IL has no bottom excepting what Is
required 20 enable IL TO fit exactly on the
top line Of the lower hull, both. of course.
forming the consecutive side OF the vessel
Upon the deck. which IS shell proof. Is a
cylindrical turret, which Is 20 contain and
protect tho guns. A screw propeller. aft OF
the raking stem OF the lower hull supplies
the motive power against the water. and aft
OF the propeller Is an equipoise ruddcr, both
hidden under and protected by the upper
hall. Tue engine, boilers, and blowers are
also In the lower part, and protected by the
upper.
rHE ARMAMENT.
The armament of TO vessel will consist
Of two Dahlgren guns Of the heaviest calibre
They will be parallel. and the turning of
the turret will give them their direction
The two port holes are within about two feet
Of each other on tne same side. and about
three feet from the deck Tho guns will
move on forged iron slides across the turret.
the carriages, which are wrought-iron, being
made 10 fit them accurately. When the qua
is run in for loading pendulum Of wrought
| iron will tall over the port holes. so that no
ball can enter The guns viii carry either
shell or lid shot. Engineers and military
men consider the III inch she'll at short
range. as one OF the most terrific weapons
introduced Into practice. There is nothing
that has vet been brought into practical OPP
Grafton that will equal them In destructive
power. They will burrow under an enemy's
works. and when they explode they produce
an effect in the vicinity like an earthquake.
The Government has also ordered for Capt
Ericsson some wrought-iron shot, very hand
somely turned.
rHs BATTERY A STEAM RAN.
The ends OF the vessel being sharp and OF
such immense force the battery is, incident
tsily-for there was no stipulation that the
| inventor should include this advantage
| Of the most powerful steam rams that was
ever built. The plate il perfectly straight
on the two sides towards the end. 40 as "a
bear any shock and the immense weight oil
the upper hull and deck--a weight Of al
least $50 tons-would operate In one direc
ton in the use Of the vessel for this purpose
skA-ooISe QUALITIES.
The deck being perfectly water tight and
having no railing or bulwsr', OF any kind.
but coming flush with the ~ OF the upper
hull, admits the washing Of the sea over il Al
liberty. The turret can also be made water
tight. The vessel will ride easily in the wat
1 o.. OtltA<t tue ~f&s ta-tI&a " NtNAhtttt
against Il. viii pass over Il as In the case OF
raft TIE vessel Is Ola the .rinciple OF life
boat. in the respect Of Toe water proof deck
and il 4 believed that Il will 1--we n -.
where a comrsen 20 p would swamp. T. !
expected TO attain 4 sfecd With her 81 q. gh
knots an hour.
WAT carr. EkICssoS VIII so.
Can't. Ericsson viii take hi. vessel vithiF
three hundred yards Of any rebel battery. ans
will stand still and FIRE his immense guns a
Il with perfect impunisy. until he scAtsers ths
rebels OF silence their guns. When the bat
tery i ready for use the Government viii sp
point him some formidable portion Of ia
Confederate river or sea-coast defeuces
where ne will be allowed 70 Try the imprcgns
biiitv Of his vessel and the efficiency Of hi
offensive capabilities. II The vessel falEh
tie pledge made in regard tot ~ill b
terned ever q the Government .--Nafiana
Tsfeific~ece-