The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1862-01-17
The Great Mississippi Expcdi
ton,

The fitting out of fleet for the pronos-
cd Mississippi expedition, through the
success of which the most Important con-
qu,i ccs VII insuc to the cause OF the
Union, has been conducted on u scale so
gigantic, and includes so many aoiuncts
OF strength and efficiency, us almost TO
make success an assurance. The fleet
has been prepared at Cairo aud st. Lou.
is. The number of guubuats is twelve.
each carrying fifteen guns-ivc GS-pound
columbads at each side, three riflcd gums
at the bow and two at the stern, The
guns and gunners arc protected by stronn
easements. The contract for these bouts
provided tlMt they were 10 be 10 feet in
lcngth, iiity-one feet six inches beam,
aud when loaded TO draw live feet. Each
was TO have two engines and five boilers
cylinders twenty-five inches. with six
feet stroke; wheels Of wrought iron 20 be
placed near the stern like fcYy-boat,so so
as to be us little exposed bs possible. All
the machinery was TO be so plnced as TO
be under water: the boats 60 haye an ay.
erugc of CD tuns. to be 6it.bo,tou cd,
and constructed OF the hcnricst and best
ouk timber; the sides to be covered with
plates of the best charcoal iron, two aud
half inches in thickness, and securely
bolted together and to 'he woodwork
within. Tho sides were b incline inward
at AN angle OF about 40 ; so as TO tnrn
or ''glancc on" a missile, the bottom TO
have the sane inclination toward the
keel. So confident are some of the nn-
val officers in the sironth Of hc gun-boat
that several oi them have offered 10 take
the Benton and lay her under the batter
les OF Columbus, con6dent that her in-
mouse strength will resist the heaviest
metal in the poss sssion Of the Conlcder-
atcs. The plates upon the guu-boats
were subm tied To severn tests, aud ovinc-
cd almost fabulous inyinoibiity. Heavy
ritlcd shots Were fired ut them Mt u dis
tHuce Of ouly l6o yards, and in every case
th were either only slightly indentcd O.
clse they shver,d the shots into innumcr.
sble Fragments or turned them hurmlcssly
aside.
Twcnig eight tugs and steamboats, ant
thirty-eight mortar boats were also con,
lFncted tor. They are heavily buit o
timber. with the sides of boiler iron, loop
~ wv hAhekAAN ANh hNAD VIII EuIIA
monster mortar--thc heaviest that have
been used In siege operations. Thcs.
boats are 50 constructed that they can b,
formed as bridges. The tug-boats ar,
also strongly built, and will be used I,
tow the mortaT-houts into position.
Tho macnitude OF the preparations ma,
10 somc extent be inferred VIII en- il \
known that the salaries of the officer
reach the amount Of 100000 a month";
that 5oo,OOU bushels OF coal have beer
contracted for TO bc delivered at Cairo
that clothing to the amount of S40t o,
has been contracted for and is on Ms wa,
thithcr--lhnt 500 tuns of powdu hay,
been scntto Cairo, and other wSr mate
rials beyond all computation.
Flag oliocr All. footo, who has bcei
tho leading spirit In the preparation o
this cSpcaiiionay Acct, il nutiye Q
ConGceticui, and has seen service in Chi
ma, aud received the highest credit for bi
gallantry. Eyeu The redoubted IIollini
has oomplimented him OH his surpassin,
ability us naval commander.
There Is nothing very certainly know
M 10 where the tirSt hlow struck by thi
Heating series OF loFtiticstions will lall.--
Columbus, Memphis aud other points O
attack are specnhted npon. But visi
may be paid To tho Cumberland OF Ten
ncsseo Rivers, But Columbus is gene
ally expected 10 be the grand point OF AT
tack, Us il eaR be assaulted ia lruni en-,
! rear, ana i,s lilty tn, psand rrhcls place
IN a pcrl whcncr they can hsrdly @
cape