The new South. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1862-1867, 1862-08-30

within few days past they were furnished very
slowly by the different contractors. The plating
of the Roanoke will now proceed with greater ra-
pidity; still. she will not be finished for several
months TO come.
The New Ironsides is the first iron-plated sea-
going war steamer of large size built by the United
States Government. She was constructed from
plans and specifications presented to the Navy
Department last September, by Merrick & Sons, of
Philadelphia They in turn contracted with
MesSrs. Cramp & Sons, Of kensington; also, with
the Bristol Forge and Brown Co., OF Pittsburg,
for the a inch plating-reServing to themselves
the construction of the machinery and the general
arrangement of the several parts. The contract
was dated October 18th, and the vessel was to be
ready for steam July 18th. Chief Engineer W.
W. Wood, of the navy, superlntcnded the machln-
cry and plating; and Naval Constructor Henry
Hoover, the hull. >,
The vessel is 24O feet long, 5S feet inches wide,
and 25 deep, being $3.50 TONS and having berth,
gun, and spar deck, the latter being snot proof:
Her frames are Of white oak filled III Solid and
caulked, and the average thickness "f her sides Is
2Oinches The iron-plating commences alta point
four feet below the water-linc and extends to her
spar-deck. The lower Course is three inches; all
the rest is four and a half inches thick. All the
plates are Is feet long, the width varying from 70
to 30 inches; each plate is fastened to the vessel
bv q Inch screw bolts % inches long, which Sc
cure the several thicknesses oftimber to the plates,
thus tying all together.
The machinery consists of two horizontal direct
action steam engines, with cylinders OF % inches
diameter and 80 inches stroke intended to make
S5 revolutions per minute, and drive brass four
bladed propeller of 13 feet diameter and IL feet
pitch. The boilers are four in number horizontal
tubuar,) each II feet front, ii feet deep, and III
feet high, of IL collective force OF l,6OO horses.
The armament will consist of sixteen l1-inch Dahl
gren guns on the gun-deck and two 20O-pound
Parrott guns on the spar deck The portfolios
will be closed by iron shutters five inches thick,
worked from the inside AS this is sea-going
steamer intended to sail as well as steam, she has
three masts and is bark-rigged, her topmasts and
wards being so arranged that in action they are
lowered, and leave simply the three lower mastS in
view. When in action all the men on board are
protected from shot or shell, and are below the
spar-deck; the commander only Is above that deck,
and he occupies a shot-proofiron lockout which
rises above the spar deck, and from which he can
see all surrounding objects and by signals commu-
nicate with his officers below.
The wood used in the construction of the vessel
is principally oak, cutn Pennsylvania and alongthe
borders of the Delaware. The plates are connec-
tel by tongues Of iron, fitting into grooves. The
heavy plates weigh about 6 ,248 pounds. Ths heal
of the bolts holding the plates are countersunk and
smooth surface will always be presented to the
balls of the enemy. It's believed that her powers
of resistance will enable her to go alongside OF any
vessel or fort with impUnity, while from her large
size she can carry sufficient force to capture any
vessel she may disable.