The national Republican., 1862-01-13

Seven of these boats cost eighty nine thou
sand dollars each 10 build. They are one hun
feet six inches fn breadth, and draw ive feet
whom loaded.
The bows and bow bulwarks consist of about
three feet of oak tin her, bOlted together and
plates two and half inches thick. The sides
have the same sheathing. with less bulk OF
timber. Each boat is pierced for thirteen
guns, four on each side, four on the stern, and
three ut the bows. The bow guns are 81 FOUNDER
ritled cannon; the others are Sinch Colum.
biads. The sides Of the boats, both above and
below the knee, incline ut an angle Of forty Ave
degrees, and nothing but n plunging shot from
high bluff could>strike the surface at right
uated as to be- perfectly a projected, and may be
considered quite out OF danger, The iron
plating has been severely tested by shots from
rifed cannon ut different distances, and has
shown itself 10 bc utterly impervious to any
shots that have been sent against II, even At
range Of three hundred yards.
The Benton Is the flag ship OF the expedition.
She is one hundred and eighty.six feet long on
deck, and seventy.fv feet wide at the beam.
Her hold Is eight and half feet in depth, and
with heavy armament and crew aboard, will
draw about Ave feet. She has double hull,
with wheels working In the recess, near the
stern. Her hull IL of four inch plank, and tim.
by Ave fore and AFT buikheads, and thirteen
cross bulkheads, making forty.f water.,ight
compartments. The deck frame beams are
ten inches square.
The main deck y planked with four and
half inch plank. The forward defence runs
down TO the two feet wafer line, and is Of
twenty four inch timber, all sheathed with two
and II half inch iron plating. The entire boat
Is sealed with three and four inch oak plank,
oaulked and made perfectly tight. Classmates
extend around the whole boat. and are made
OF twelve inch timber. At the knuckle on the
main deck. the timber Is from three to four
feet in thickness. solid.
The Benton is pierced for, and W III carry IS
heavy guns, which are from 32.pOunders to A.
Founders calibre, somo rifed and some smooth
bore, and there are two 9-inch Dahlgren guns.
Tho principal part of the armament is disposed
in the forward part of the boa, there being tw"
guns only at the stern.
The machinery, boilers, no., are all under Il .
deck. The cylinders are 20 inches IN diameter
with feet stroke. There are four boilers, ?i
feet long and 40 inuhes In diameter, double
with % feet bucket. The wheel house is pro
teCted by timber from six to eight inches thick.
| ness and sheathed with heavy iron. The pilot.
house Is protected by l2-inch oak timber placed
at an angle of about thirty degrees with the
upper deck Ia COniCal in shape, and of very In.
genius construction.
| There are two magazines; one on each side.
just forward Of the wheels. They are each
| capable of carrying one hundred rounds OF
ammunition for every gun, and afford ample
room for the necessary evolutions within them.
The magazines can be flooded with wafer IN !.
| moment from the main deck, and are furnished
and arranged In true naval style.
| The mortar boats are built Of heavy timbers,
the sides of boiler iron loop holed for muske etry,
and are so arranged that they can be used Tor
bridges. They will each carry one ffteen.inch
mortar. The mortar boats will be towed into
| position by tugs.
With this formidable armament, and force
of seventy. Ave thousand men, the onward
march must be comparatively resistless. The
| progress of the lotia will probably be by the
Mississippi to Columbus and Memphis; by the
| Tennessee to the mouth Of the Sandy river,
| and by tho Cumberland river To Nashville.
Within few days we shall make history very
fast,