The New York herald., 1862-08-01

from the largo rnsd gun the bows Of the little craft
During tho few weeks the Maratanza has bcsn en-
gagged convoy duty In conveying our Typographical en-
giness and guard duty at the rebel
fort Powhatan At the latter place bost expedition lefs
the vessel under the direction Of Captain Stevens in
son, which succeeded in burning over thousand cords
or wood that had been used mask to the formidable
batteries located there Since the vessel has been in
commission the health OF the officers and crew has
boen remarkably good, but one person having been
removed from the ship tho hospital She will soon be
repaired in all her parts and be ready 70 act ner part
again on tho James river. Annexed is list Of her
oGicers:-
Lieutenant Coumandino-rhomas n. Stevens.
Lieaenant and krec,aiuc Ofcer-wilam P. McCann
First Assistant Enginer-Wilam H. King
Asiaant Surgeon-J. Corbin.
Assistant Paymaster-B. r. Perlsy.
Aching Maaers-Charss L. Courtsnay, J. Kinoai ana
Second Assistant E,sgi~eer-Edward scattsrgood.
Third Assisaa Nnsinesr:-w. n. Fitzpatrick. L. R.
Masters Mats-E. X. Flowers.
Cdptain's Ctcvk-J. N. Newport.
RELANcx-revsaue steamer-at present on the railway
Baltimore undergoing repairs to her hull, which will
be completed day two, when she will be ready for
service Both the Reliance and the Hercules have
T0u00r0Q mat0rSi torVCo uufNB tn0 P0os ~ oAo"
ing up the Illicit trade with that part Of Virginia still
under the sway Of the rebels.
RoANoKz.-Several inquiries have lately been made
regarding the great length Of time this vessel has occu
psd tho dry dock at the Navy Yard Brooklyn. Indeed,
many complaints have been made Of the immense ex
pense the department has at in having TO send all
vessels to this city TO be doesd Some say that
the delay unavoidable account OF the peculiar
manner in which her plating Is manufactured, while
others that her contractors have caused II in order
10 the expense Of docking her One thing Is
csrtanshe has progressed very slowly but surely Two
streaks Of plating fastened her arboard
side and the starboard. number Of mechanics
arranging the foundation for her iron PROV and her
propeller has been moved down to the dry dock
ready to be attached her shaft is inserted and
nearly the Of the machine shop at work
her machinery. She will not be ready TO float before
the 18th August This will delay tho launching Of the
Lackawanna Mr. Deano tho naval OF the
yard concluded keep her the stocks until the
Roanoke leaves the dry dock the unnitated wish to
understand why much delay has occurred on this
sell only necessary for them to read the following
description of the nature OF her armor:She is to be
clothed amdships with iron plates ranging from three
and half to four and half inches thick, which to
extend four feet below her water line She will also have
three turrets similar but Formidable to that used
plates OF the ram will be four and half inches thick and
twenty feet long, thus giving her a wedge her bow
nine inches thick Each Of the urres will be twenty feet
diameter inside the plating Of which will consist OF ee
OF inch iron. Each plate for turret Is
nine feet in length by forty inches wide Two courses
holes punched in each and they all bent
cold powerful hydraulic press The bed plate Of the
press is Of form, and the top block is of
plate to be bent is placed upon tho concave
bed plate Of the press and when properly adjusted the
pump forces up three under it, and the plate Is
reduced the proper against the top block The
pressure which each plate is submitted to give it the
proper curve, is three and half million pounds. BY
this method Of bending the plates cold there
perfect uniformity and accuracy secured for the whole
The bending Of the thick plates for the ram and
also for the sides Of the frigate is quite
. different and dfhcult operation to perform compared
with those Of the gun towers Each Of these plates has
sbe bent to the proper TO suit its own particular
place the vessel and not only the broadside but the
edges also, bs bent TO suit the particular curves
All these plates hammered iron, and furnished
by several companies in Pennsylvania, New York and
Massachusetts, When they arrive they resemble huge
straight slabs, varying In length from eleven TO
twenty-five feet, and in breadth from twenty-five 70
twaty aches and theR average thickness 10 four
half inches. Ono OF eleven and half feet length
weighs about four thousand two hundred aud forty
pounds Of twenty two feet IN length, for the ram,
weighs four tons. Such masses Of ron
difHcuk 70 move about, and ths operations con-
neceed with bending them necessarily tedious
and troublesome, and they require great care
and skin cepfuct properly. O. course i
rs impossible 10 bend such Of iron cold;
each plate first heated TO nearly white heat iA long
furnace, shaped something like BAKERS oven, with
movable arched The press for bending IS quite
wardy it resembles long, strong press. used
for pressing woollen cloth. Its top block paten is
moved up and down, but its bed is fixed and very solid
A dudgeon hydraulic jack at each end supports ana
the block up and down. The bed upon which the
heated plate laid, Is formed Of series OF adjustable
bolster blocks each OF which capable OF being by
any desired height OF either side, and at any
desired angle TO suit the bend to be given to plate,
which Is compressed between the descending top block
and the adjustable bed plate is first placed in the fur
pace and then raised TO nearly white heat The
Of the furnace IL now raised BY block and
tackle, and the plate is then seized by powerful
and secured a carriage The heated plate is
lifted, the crane carriage moved back, and thr
swung around and placed in the press, where IL l.
fccty adjusted TO obtain the proper curves The huge
top block then forced down squeezing the great
Of iron into the desired shape In about half
plate has acquired permanent set and Is takeu ready
70 have its edges paned when IL is ht for bong TO the
frigae The bolt holes all drilled II requires
large number Of men to such OF iron and
from the time glow ing plato b lifted out of the furnace
until Is secured in the press the Of extra
ordinary activity and excitement, the plate requires
be placed in the press expedtousy possible before
becomes cool The metal Of these plates appears be
first class but until within few days past they
furnished very slowly by the different contractors
PESeuIS-ssven guns. steam gunboat-sailed from the
Brooklyn Navy Yard for Key West Monday last After
proceeding about hundred and CITY miles to her
machinery became disabled consequently she returned
this city for repairs She left again yesterday afternoon.
Her consists Of eighty mon and is ofcered FOL
lows
Lieutenant Commandino-J. c. Williamson.
Assistant Swgon-Geo B Higgnboham
ASSISTANT Poymdster-Willam c. Cook.
Acting MdIers-lohn /. atchford, Samuel Rathbone