The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1862-03-17
Another Formidable Battery.
The Steven. Floating B.,t.ry.


The Stevens Battery, Of which the
annexed arc sccurlte .'ch,s, and
vhich row lio, st I9hoken, in
m unini5hti condition, has been
au Object of much ibtoro5t on &C
.ait { she soctscv which has at.
.,ttto g. @ ,r1ris'; Hri tho la.a
,.vtto corttDi, between tho M-r,i.
rae std Mcti r., has g-ta Is added
o'to IN u',st ioit by the pHblis la
us stcg S., .irce 4. has been dc.
rtnsIattd that in future wo are
o d. Pcft, fof the protection Of cur
tivers and haitois, upon steam bat
etits aud non c'ad vessels of war,
'Nhtr then costly Publications Of
tore.
Nero than tvcnty years sircs-
august 18Th, isil--tho fAther of
he LATE RHb II l.. Stevens, AID Of
the present Edwin 4. Stevena, al
dressed communication tn tho
Navy Bari setting forth ihs ad-
vantages Of IRON plates for the CO.
fence vessels ot war, and of sub
merged steam rowor for their pro-
pulson. On this ,mmuuicdtion
was base ! the contract 10 construct
ths pfetoLt stevens Battery. In
1913, tho dry desk whore the vos.
sci lies was conmen,ed but, on
account OF ofici.l intertrrsrc,, tho
ship WIS not begun I'LL 1851 ard
Ia twenty mon'hs, all the work now
done-tHo cont lction a toe snip
proper, and onginoa ard toilar
was gcco rplished. The Original sIm
tdruished by the Government, was
$500 coo and besiia tbis. tho
Messrs Stevens spen' {: 600 Of
their osu NJ Nnoy, after which tho
ontorl rise sas lruugh' to 4 gtaud-
sin by ths d,s'h Of Nj l.1b5rt
l.. S,0vo'a, aLd ~ the Waat Of
iuttlcr appropriations. To sum
ow required for - Cnrplstion is
estimated at $500. co, ami The time,
four mo tbs. A Committee Of Com
gre a, app irted 10 invosti. .ate tho
subject, has reported adversely TO
is completion, but tho sui ject is
being pressed anow upon tho Gov
ernmcn', and before the people,
since the events which have brought
these batteries prominently into no.
tioe.
Ulno hu'l rosembles q large iron
screw steamer, worry sharp at how
and stern. III Is i20 feet long, with
% feet beam, and Of & 900 tols bur.
thor. Tho construction OF tho hull,
which Is Of iron, is as follows Tho
bottom plates arc one inch thick,
and tho sides taper toward the top,
whore thoy arc half-i1ch thick.
The plates are overlappsd or clink-
or built, like IN )se Of tho Great
EHterr. The ribs or framoI arc
two ise, apart throughout the entire
vessel, ana arc c instructed Of two
GX3l l-itch heavy angle irons, iiy-
... tV,'tlur eng hwIfe 10y their
8 inch n ,np's. The hull Is di-
ICED into water tight compart-
'cl's, with extreme bow Of solid
Tisv' "a provided with ton
urrr, e'rlt ongiGes, and two
.'w Itc,li.is, ons upon each
~ e tho tt,tn. Tro inclination
OF csc p'rpel era, working in dit
t'r-if directions, IS such that it is
l1'c'od iha' ths vessel will bs
,ur, 81, oa as centre, as upon apiy.
'ul irr end, in one minute Of
im'. Tha v,ps,l i1 ~ be supplied
with horse power equal 20 the Great
EaStern-a ship OF three tunes it's
tonnage--by which spssd OF 20
miles per hour is confidently anticI.
pated. Whom not engaged in ac-
ton, the main deck ia i've feet above
the water line, the vessel drawing
II feet. When in action, the hull
ia submerged even with tue sur.
face of tbs water, and then draws
n foot. TIE vessel is settled into
the water by allowing Il to hlg, rrll
eide, into tAnki pruvidoi for n, p
tho hold, and these arc speed " pa
when the engagement isIover, an !
is required.-
Fig. /, Of tho representations Il,
the battery suhmorged, eve v with
tor line, and ready tor actor. Below
lnc, will De traced the dark ourl
submerged hull. Ga the main dock,
s'ructo1 two iron-claI gun decks, wi
| sides on tho tops OF which ara securs
u 20 inch guns. On th,se qua deck,
four bomb proof l1iling houses, by
g't1s are lled without hazard. I'll,
curiages arc constructed Of sue,
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