The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-08-13
Threo Now iron clad. Tor she uis-

sissiPpT.
The Missouri Republican gives a de-
scription Of three powerful, impregnablc
iron clad gunboats contracted for by the
government for service on the Mississip-
pi-lhe Chillicothe, Indisnola and Tus-
cumbia, now building and nearly com
pleied, the two former al Cincinnati and
the latter AT New Albany, Indiana, IN
der contract with Captain Joseph
Brown, a st. Louisan.
The three boats named are of the Nom
{ itOr order that is, their armaments are
carried in turrets impregnably encased
in iron, while every part Of the hulls,
in any manner exposed TO shot, are
guarded with heavy iron plates several
I feet below the water line
Tho Chillicelhe is nearly Gaished.
! When we visited her on Thursday at
/ Cincinnati she had all ller mac hineFy in,
/ her deck plating completed, her turrei
more than hall plated. and much Of her
7 bow and sterw plating on. Her side
plating would not be put on until she
/ had passed through the canal at LOuis-
Vile, her width being such that she can
4 barely 20 through without the plates
She was so nearly done that Capt Brown
expected to take her down during the
present week She is the smallest Of
/ the three, and strongly built, with
I side wheels working in o recess Is en-
tirely iron-clad, sides, bow, deck aud
stern--her deck iron being Que inch thick,
and her hull plates tWo-inch. Her tower
is covered with three inch plates, carry
log two guns Of a hundred aud sixty
eight pounds calibre. With sill her ar
mament on board, she will draw but
thirty -four inches. In length she is q
hundred and sixty-two, with a width Of
fifty feet Her officers rooms and ma
chinery are all below deck, and perfectly
protected from shot. She has two steam
capstans, of great power, which, in shoal
water, would be able 80 haul her over
bar with two feet water She has made
trial trip, and easily makes Eve miles
per LOur up stream. E--.
The lndianGla is a large boat, being
one hundred and seventy By lltty feet,
with a nine foot hold. She is powerfully
and heavily built with side wheels, and,
in addition, two propellers. She has five
largo boilers, and four engines of great
power, which will propel her without
trouble, ten miles per hour mp stream
She also carries one hundred and sixty
eight pound guns, in shot.proof tower,
covered with ihrCe-inch iron-her hull,
in every part, bow, sides and stern, being
projected with two-inch iron, and her
deck covered with one-inch plates. In
every respect she is war-vessel of for
midable strength, aud is designed for
case and speed in handling, as well as
for the crushing power Of her armament
Her machinery is all in, and within six
weeks il is expected she will be. ready
for service.
The Tuscumbia is being built at New
n Albany, her size being such that she
could not be carried through the canal
She is one hundred and seventy feet by
seventy, with seven foot hold and will
carry l6S-pOund guns. She is in every
way like the Indianola, only larger, hav-
ing side wheels and propellers, with i'm
mense engines, in size and power capa-
able OF taking her against the current
ten miles per hour Her draught viii no.
exceed iorty-ninc inches. She will be
completed within six weeks, and her pro-
portions, strength, and invincible power
will be far in advance of anything now
on the western waters.
The machinery for these three formi.
dablc war vessels is built here in st.
Louis, by AlcCOrd, who, together with
l.. Z. Sanger, has an interest in the con-
tract.
A large portion of the iron plates, and
perhaps the whole, was contracted for
with Harrison a Co., Of this city, and
was rolled at thoir mill
The plans for these three war vessel s
were submitted by Capt. Brown, aud,
with slight notifications, adopted by the
Department as submitted Since the
contract was awarded TO him, he has
pushed the building TO completion, with
that resOlute, driving energy which is
known as a characteristic OF Capt. Jo,p
as he is called, in everything he under
takes. The admirable manner In which
the vessels have been built, under his i'm
mediate aud constant supervision and di-
rcction, furnishes the highest evidence Of
his fidelity as well as his excellent judg-
ment and skill. Captain Brown has ex-
perienced most annoying delays in re-
ceiving the iron contracted for II IL
had been delivered ia contract time, he
Chillcothe would nov be doing service
on the Mississippi
We have spoken Of the towers on these
vessels in which the guns are 10 be
worked. They are not, as In the Moni
tor, revolving, but stationary. with slop-
ing sides, and ball-proof iron grating
overhead. ....-
The three vessels have a hot water ap
paratus for the benefit Of the enemy
, shouldihe attempt 10 board during an en- =
gagement We trust that the country
will soon hear of the exploits Of these
war craft, in opening and keeping open
the Mississippi river. They constitute
an immense addition 10 the navy power
on the western waters, and will find
scarcely an antagonist able 10 core with
, them.
The Louisville Journal gives a good
account Of The progress OF enlistmenis il
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