The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-03-15

uSutluS space, our uhii Cihu Lueu-Oi-Wor uuss "
great rams, prepared to take tilt with theil
sharp beaks. For this purpose size and weight
are essential.-[Cin. Gazette.
THE REBEL sTRAMERs LATELY
ENGAGED NEAR FORTRESS MON.
From the New York Tribune.I
THE MERRMAC.
The Merrimac was originally one of the five
war steamers authorized to be constructed by
Congress during the session Of ls44-5. They
were to be first steam sloops of war, and were
built as follows The Nerrimac at Charlestown
Wabash, Com. Duponts flag ship, which did
such good service at Port Royal, at PhiIadel.
phia; the Minnesota at Washington; the Roam.
oke at Norfolk, and the Niagara at Brooklyn
The Minnesota and the Roanoke were lying in
Hampton Roads, These i've vessels were equal
to any steam war vessls in the world, except
iron clad vessels. The spar deck of the Merri.
mac was 2Sl feet long and 81 feet broad in her
original condition and she drew % feet OF water.
She rated about 1000 tons burden. Her frame
was of life oak, filled in solid, and caulked IA
feet out from the kelson. Forward the ship had
10 live oak breast hooks, fastened through and
through with copper under the water and iron
above; aft she had seven breast hooks
The engine was of 800 horse power, with a
bladed propeller IA feet in diameter, so fitted
as to be raised to the deck and lowered to its
beaming at pleasure, enabling the vessel to be
used with or without her steam power. She
rated as 40 gun frigate, but could carry as
She carried "a inch shell guns, with q pivot
guns of tons, each throwing 100 pound shells,
mounted fore and aft
The Merrmac was first Of the five to be com.
pleted, being launched in 1856. She was soon
after put in commission, and continued in the
service until April, 1861, when she was lying at
the Norfolk Navy Yard, in need of some slight
repairs. But for the imbeclity of those in
charge, she might have been removed before the
rebellion actually broke out in Norfolk. Under
the management of Com. Macauley, however,
she and the ship of the line PENNSYLVANIA were
scuttled and sunk, while at the same time the
Navy Yard and its $500 cannon were abandon
ed to the rebels.
placed upon the dry dock, and covered with an
entire slanting roof of railroad iron. This ad.
dtional weight nearly broke her down upon the
dry dock, and they found almost as much disfi-
Guilty IN launching her as was found in launch.
ing the Great Eastern. Owing to a mistake in
calculation, on being launched she was found to
sink four feet deeper than before, so as to take
in water. So she was again taken out, being
hogged in the operation and otherwise 60 strain.
ed that the Southern newspapers pronounced
her failure, and it is more than probable that
with no opposition she would never dare 20 to
sea. She is probably very good movable
floating battery. Above the waters edge she ia
said to present nothing but her roof of railroad
iron, with smoke stack rising few feet above
it. From the accounts which we have Of the
fight, her rate of speed is very moderate. She
mounted 10 l00-pound Armstrong guns. which
are reported to have mashed through iron mail
as thick as that of the Warrior and Black
Prince, but which do not appear to have made
any impression on the Monitor.
TIE YORKTOWN, Oh PATRICK HENRY
The Yorktown, called by the rebels the Pat.
rick Henry, is a steamer of 1,4O0 tuns, which
was built by VIM. Il. Webb for the line between
New York and Richmond, in 1889. She has
two decks, and is built of oak, with copper and
iron .fastenings. She has two marine beam
engines, of $50 horse power, and four water
tight compartments. Her dimensions are, length
25l feet, breadth 81 feet, depth Is feet She is
described by reporter who went up on the Ex.
press, under dag of truce, on Thursday last, as
mounting six rifed gnns, one Of which is an
Armstrong gun, and as being much more for
mdable than her consort, the jamestown.
THE JAMESTOWN.
The jamestown was formerly the consort of
the Yorktown in the Richmond line. She was
built in 1852 by J. A. Westervelt, and her di.
mansions are slightly smaller than those of the
Yorktown. She draws but eight feet of water
three feet less than the Yorktown. She has a
vertical beam engine, OF 260 horse power. The
same reporter saw her also last Thursday. and
says that she was worked with double engines
and had sharp iron PROV at her bow projecting
some three feet at the water line, intended to
run down wooden vessels, and that she carries
~ pound rified cannon, Parrot style, fore and
ait, the guns being furnished with telescope
sights The vessel looked trim, and the officers
wore profusion of gold lace, while the msripes
and sailors we're smart and active in appearance.
The London Time: ON the FAN or Fort
success has been achieved by the Federal
arms in the reduction of a work called Fort
Henry, on the Tennessee river and the can
ture OF Its garrison, consisting of sixty men
me narrative of the action does not present
any feature OF interest. 1t was the usual Am
erican ngnung long cannonade ON both sides
Win lltte loss, and then surrender. hailed
with loud rejoicings by the victors. In this
case there would hardly have been casualty
had not shot struck the boiler of one Of tbe
gunboats and scalded to death thirty. two of
her crew. But though as q military exnlo;t
The capture Of Fort Henry calls for little M,
lice, yet the intelligence is interesting as sbow.
ing the position of the contendine parties in
he West, and the course which the warfare in
hat region is taking.
den. beauregard, who is said to have taken
command Of the Confederate army of the West
has no doubt been directed to defend the conn.
ny IN the neighborhood Of Bowling Green, and
o prevent any march from that region 10
Nashville, the capital of Tennessee. Provided