New-York daily tribune., 1862-11-06
OUR NEW NAVY.
An IPon-Clad Launched md Another 70 be
Bufls AZ Once-Liss Of New Sron.CIads
BufidinC Here.


Building Here.
The Weehawken. which had been known for
some time rs Monitor No. 8, WAS launched yesterday
morning in jersey City. She was built under the
superintendence of Mr.. Birkbccl. A large con-
course Of spectators was present, among whom we
noticed Admiral Gregory, DR.. Stevenson, and sew
eral respectable citizens Of New-York and Brooklyn
There would have been much more numerous au
dience but for the early hour a. which the launch
occurred. Mise Nellie Comstock, the accomplished
daughter Of "the Commodore" performed the
Christening 10 very graceful manner. The Wee
bawkeh was descrited minuiely 10 these columns
when her keel was laid. Like tie nine vessels Of
which she is one, her rate is tha, Of An clad
sho;.proof battery, with steam roschinery and
turret."
The following are her dimensions Extreme
length, over srmor, 300 feet; extreme length Of
boat proper water line, 100 feet; leugth outside
Of STEM md sternpos. l59 feet extreme Sean. over
armor, 46 feet; breadth Of beam Of boat proper
(molded 81 feet inches; crown Of deck auidships,
inches; internal Dimensions OF turret II feet;
height of tuuc, feet. Tie urret was not launched
on the vessel. II is pierced for two guns. The
armor on tie turret consists of eleven ons-nch
plates. There was no thought Of forging mass of
iron IT inches thick when the Monitors were con,
ceiyed. The Roanoke will be the first vessel fnis.ed
OH that splendid plan. The Weehawken's hull "
very powerful il is covered with five inches OF
iron; the buwarks, or armor timbers are composed
o. eercs Of vertical blceEs OF oak IL inches by IL
ia, hes securely fastened by angle irons. These IRE
covered by longitudinal tiubers, running IRON end
to end Of the vessel varying IL thickness according
10 tie general curvature. Tie three lower lougtu-
iinal ti5ers of pine, aud the two upper Of oak.
Tie pltnkshear, which f0rus lar Of the bulwars,
is Of oak, ID iucnes wide and IL incbes thick.
Around the oltsde Of the vessei and in plane with
the hip portion OF the hull, there is IL horizontal
armor shelf 10 inches, aai1shies, diminishing ~
fair line 10 - nches wide near the ends. Tue silo
armor 10 fastened TO tfe wooden bulwarks. No
pls'o Is less than 60 inches long, and the edges
'aned and accurately fitted. Tue armor extends 81
feet below the water line all round the vessc, pro-
jectDg 3 feet inches bey ond the hull.
Ibe courses OF tie bail plates run fore spd aft
AID are put on in outside aud ilSide streaks 1he
cardboard streak laps the kseiplne four inches, and
al other streaks "a incDs The ends Of the iaies
butted and strapped with pieces.eght isches wide.
he engines oonsis, OF two cylinders, 10 inches in
diameter, and - inches stroke, combined il one
piece aud combined In one frame, cas- in piece,
firmly secured 10 the wrought-iron kelsoD. The
house engines and blowers are of greater size than
iLoSe VI te Monitor, ana instead OF being placed In
'ihe engine roo e applied under tue turret for tho
purpose Of drawing down the cold mir through the
tuTfet roof and forcing IL into tho boilegfeon and
other parts oi the vessel. Two boilers, on Martins
plan, are attached, of 40 feet force, lset inches
gh, aud - feet inches long, With thies furnaces
10 eaco These boilers rect OF the lG-ine door la,o
and Gre furnished with sll approved apputensrces.
TIE propeller Is made OF cast iron, !. et IN DIANE
Ter, with l6 feet pitch 1nero is nothing else Lew
TO bo said ol tie VI cchawkcn.
liz compliance with new eontrac, entered into be.
tween lhe Government aud tie builder oI this vessel
tie keel Of another irou-cad nan Of war Is to be
laid imIoedIa'eiy OH stocks from which the Wee
hawSen was launched. Sc is 10 bc OF a different
description from any of the mailed vessels now in
course OF construction and will be finished in iew
months Mr. Birkbeck's ability bas secured for
him the tuperin,eud.uce Of he machinery. The de-
seiptiOn Iftle new Graf. Will not be gwen to the
public until she s launched.
The following iron.,!ai vessels gre now building
IL this vicinity: