New-York daily tribune., 1862-11-15
MR.. cAMERoN's IRoN.cLADs
Full Account Of the Rebel Vessels nt Glasgow
PREPARATIONS TO BREAK THE BLOCKADE,
Rebel sympathizers in Liverpool
THE STEAMER ALABAMA.


of war ssid to be rapidly completing in England on
Rebel account and intended both TO open the block
ade Of Soathern hsrbors and to operate against
Northern seaports. We have been favored by a
gentleman just from England with come further
information on the same point, which is both an'
thenic and minute. IL may tend 10 quiet whatever
alarm is felt about an immediate descent upon our
coast but it is by 10 means OF such character as
ought TO lessen any efforts the Navy Department
may happen to be making.
According TO Mr.. Cameron, three immense iron
siesmrams the most powerful ever constructed, are
building for the Rebels. IL is not certain that the
statement 10 true. Two are on the stocks at Liver
oool, in the hands Of James Laird NJ. p. who built
the pirate Alabama, and is pushing them rapidly to
completion. The third is building, il any where on
the Clyde at Glasgow. Or informan, has lit
tie knowledge Of the Liverpool rams, their size or
how nearly finished they are at present. his ac-
count relates especially to Glasgow. In the great
shipyard of that port three ron-clads ATE building
One Of them, the Hector, just launched, is fox the
British Government; another for Denmark, 10th In
the yard OF Nessrs. Napier g. Sons. The third is a
screw steamer, under contract by Messrs. George q
James Thompson Of 3, 500 tuns and 800 hose-power,
OF model flat that she is calculated to draw but
fifteen feet Of water; built wholly Of iron, her frame
included; and with plating twenty-five inches
thick of which four inches and shalt are iron and
the rest solid teak. This vessel Is said to be
for some foreign government not named though
If for any recognized Government there s no reason
why there should be any mystery about her. But
although no effort IL made TO hide the facts about
any other vessel, little is generally known Of this
Que, and information ike that give was obtained
with difficulty. A man-of war is commonly named
when her keel is laid. This has no name, but is
known only by her number in the Yard. Her frame
is about half raised, and WORK is going on slowly.
The contrac, requires her to be completed IN twenty
months FROM last July II any vessel is now build
ing for the Rebels the Clyde, il is this. Bot it s
quite obvious, from the rate at which work On her
progresses and from the period fixed by the contract,
that she is not relied on for immediate service. And
concerning both this and the Liverpool rams, our
Government is and has constantly been fully in
formed.
Whatever doubt there may be be about this IRON
clad there is none at al that other steamers for diff
erent servce are bought and built for the rebels at
Glasgow. The Columbia, Adela, aud Leopard, sl
iaied last Summer from this port, the Columbia to
Hamburg for a cargo tho Adela to Liverpool, the
Leopard to Cardiff. The two former were captured
endeavoring 10 run the blockade; the Leopard got
through.
The Rebels are preparing, apparently, not to
break the blockade this Winter by force, but to
evade 1t by vessels Of unusual speed. With this
view they have bought and srs fitting out steamers
at Glasgow, which port seems TO share with Liver
pool the honor Of being rendezvous for pirates.
There is great activity in all the yards, especially
in that OF Messrs. George and james Thompson
above mentioned, in which Elk ron-but not iron
clai-veseels on the ways for construction or
pair, ali owned by Rebels in Rebel interest. Tie
Iona, Pearl, Eagle, and Ruby, were selected e.
pecislly for tho work Of carrying arms and ammu.
n:tion into bIocsaded Rebel ports. The Iona was
the FIRST to attempt the voyage, and was sunk by
collision weelsago. The other three, like the lona
are long narrow, swift, smooth water, side-wbeel
steamers, built TO run fifteen miles hour the
Clyde, and from lJ0 10 200 tuns burden. The Pearl
was lying at Queenstown, taking in powder, when
tho City OF Baltimore, on her last voyage out,
touched at that port II is proposed TO send her aud
the restall OF them being unit for al Atlantic voy-
age--by way Of Madeira to Nassau, there TO load,
and thence TO attempt the blockade. There are I'M
mense stores at Nassau waiting the opportunity 10
lind entrance into kebe ports, and the Rebel neces-
otes are 50 great that they will leave TO means un-
lri d 70 OBTAIN them.
Beside these there are steamers Of another class-
tie Thistle, Giraffe, and Columbia, three screws
l.: a.
but of much lager tunnage. The Giraffe cost
600, the Thistle fl2O00 and tue seven together
not less than Gl00 00O 1t appears from an exam
nation Of THEN Cusiom-louse register that all, ex
cert the Giraffe are owned in the name of George
Wig, Liverpool merchant, active In the Rebel
cause and were bought by Henry I.afone, agent.
Goth Wigg and Lsf0ne have been in Glasgow on
business connected with the vessels. Messrs. Begby
g. Co. of London, who were concerned In fitting out
the Gladiator of recent notoriety, have also three
iron steamers Of 500 or 600 tuns builiing on the
Clyde, probably intended to run tho blockade. From
TIE fact that Capt. Reasons, who went TO Glasgow
to take chnrge Of the Coombis, WAS transferred 10
the supernlenGeuce OF the whole Rebel leet, IL is
supposed that this firm may also bo interefted D the
Colombia. The names Of Messrs. Begby s. Co., Of
George Wigg, OF Henry Lafonc, of George and
James Thompson, and especially of james Laird,
NJ. F., and Rebel merchants, agents, and ship.bud.
ers, deserve to be faithfully remembered by loyal
Americans TIL possible day of future reckoning.
1t is evident from such facis as the above, which
are important and come TO well authenticated
that tho Rebels have no lack of money or credit IN
England. Probably a considerable part OF the
cotton hypotheeated to the Rebel Government Is
pledged in some way to English capitalists az
security for advances, and hey IN twp " secured