Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-02-01
Thc Western Gunbcat
Of Jhe SSanseaf-.

aLC tuc rest ANON
Abs Western GuEbcat EIees-DescrfDtsou
Of the GaH5cats.
The following description of the gunboats. fur
nisned by a Cairo correspondent of the Cincin.
natl Ga-cts, is interesting:
The g~unboats intended for the Mississippi are
twelve IN number Gucluding those altered from
steamboats,, aud which have been sometime in
use,) and may be classed as follows Benton.
st. Louis, Carondeiet, Pittsburg, Cincinnati.
Louisville Mound City, and Cairo-an new. and
built especially for gUnboats-not unite finished
as yet, but viii probably be- completed and ready
Tor service IN a week or ten days. The first
named Is the flagship, aud cased all the sides
ana mont, and other exposed paris, with d inch
iron, the thickness diminishing at the less er-
posed points. She is one hundred and eiobtv-
hve feet IN length, and mounts eighteen Guns.
SIX on each side, three in the front and three
astern. Some OF these guns. as well as those on
the other boats, are the heaviest Dahlgrens and
columbiads Tor throwing shells.
The other seven are $50 feet in length. and
mount thirteen guns each, Of like caliber, four
on each side, three in front and two astern.
They only cased 80 feet long midships, and in
front Cor forecastle) These, several IF the off
GERS with whom | talked contend, are the vital
parts and that the chances are exceedingly re-
mote OF their receiving damage from any other
quarter.
To give the reader some idea of their con-
s%tructi0n (the details of which would require
too much space) I viii add that they present
very much the shape Of a turtle. They are en-
treiy closed in, except the PORTFOLIOS for the
guns. The coue-shoped pilot houses. which are
entered from below, are heavily cssed, with loop
holes lett for the pilots TO see through. The
chimnoys of the boilers can be lowered to nearly
the level Of the roofs. The Benton's roof is
eaSed with non, and has several iron gratings to
assist IN lighting and veutilating.
The remaining four are the Essex. Lexington.
Taylor, Formerly the a. O.. Tyler) and Con
estoga. The first is an old st. Louis ferry boat.
cased all but the wheel-house; the other three
steamboats, altered, and wooden bulwarks erected
as a protection against musket balls.
TIL MORTAR BOATS.
Ihrty-eight in number, are finished and lie
tied to the shore about a mile above the town.
awaiting the mortars, of which they are to carry
one each Of the heaviest cgiDar. They are very
simple in construction, the huIls being composed
of solid timbeTs bolted together. with eight small
chambers in them for storing ammunition.
These have nothing but wooden coverings set
over them 10 protect them from descending shot
and shell. They can, however, easily be covered
Win nun
The boats have buIwarks of about one quar-
ter inch iron extending around them, and reach
ing some eight feet in hight above the deck
with iron windows or openings for ingress and
egi ess) to protect the crew from musket balls,
and with loop holes in them, from which rifle
men can fire. Canvas viii be stretched across
above those to shelter the crew, when necessary,
from the weather. They have anchors to hold
them IN any desired position in the river.
They are about sixty feet in length. and
twenty TO twenty five feet in width. Their own
weight sinks them TO within about a foot Of the
level Of the decks, and with the mortars on
(Which, I believe, win weigh seventeen thousand
pounds each the water viii be up to or above
the lowell OF the decks, but being lined with tim
bers inside, csulked aud waterproof, for some
two feet above deck, will keep the floors dry.
Anumber of little screw propeLiers were built
in st. Louis, designed for The towing of these
tug to tow two mortar boats, one on
each side Of it. There arc conflicting state
as to when the mOrtars viii be ready for
these boats, none having yet arrived.