The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-06-22
The Rebuild ng OF tho MerrImac.
HOW SHE wA8 MALE A FORMIDABLE FLOATING

We have seen gertleman says tho Pos, resident in
Norfolk during the last year, who saw the Mcrrimsc
very frequently while she was building and examined
bor closely after size from her light with the
Monitor. He gives tht following interesting account
e tbs vessel and her history
Size was raised last July without much effort d. 4
!. :asef Ca esd men, residents oi Norfolk, took tho
act Tor asng hc and lived s. COO Tor the job
Talkcr forced 20 accept the work aud per-
urfn il, rsrg Tor IL their wreckiag apparatus.
lf:er she raised she lay for about month in the
seat ary OK befora the rebel authorities could make
) their n, nds what to do with hos Then they deter
mine 10 trn her into floating battery. They cut her
down 20 w.h.n thres feet Of light wator msrk-hat is
r., iss & r. ieS gs s.s1 t s.a aa over tho whole
Isrgtl Of the hall ush On this deck amidsh!ps Of the
leagth the battery was then built II must be under
stood that this battery lpied all the space eAccp
sixty feet forward and sixty feet abait Tho battery
brit with angular sides the sides fcl in at angc
of forty I'VE degrees and tho two parts VI this rooke
structure met top within eight feet. There was
therefore, over all tie battery deck eight feet wide,
sm s es se s the sssi Of the s IMP
ber laid up and down, close tgchef hoitca 70 proper
Knees secure it TO the hull, which also strength
oned to receive the iinbers This first layer
mado strong BY ore and aft beams inside and vas
canlked tightly. Over this was laid fore aud aft
across the Grst aver layer Of & nr inch oak plank
securely boed On and also cauikei tight.
This. In tim, covered with strips Of iron, four in.
CHI wide and inch and half Thick laid up and down
tho NIX that and auo r la this, OF the
same KIM II o., aidlore ani at This again,
cd with third yer iron bais eight inches ide and
-four inches ihi,k running ~ and down she had, there
oak and scy.l incnef Vi IRON.
Tn trtn ma est ne Trs do or works at Rchmonl
ard very car FL y ied for e race Ihfe was abert
eiyht hundred weight the ship. lhe three layers
wee no. LtEed separately, oct holes drilled IL each
responding t. holes IN tie eth rs aud through these
holes inch aud haI bois pissed clean through ths
wood work. THESE bolts were iorclo,ked usdc. ami
outside they partially CO.. ntersank, aud driven
down - make the siGe smooth.
Tho battery pros n;ed outside Therefore, on each
side, steep shaping AZ angle &c forty i've
gees. which wcrld sEci Y sanos OF shot sris.
ils narrow a OK a1ove the batcrysight feet WIDE
consisted Of bomb-proos graz ny mado # four ZACH
bar iron. u was SURF hfcd ~ temporary hand
railing.
Tho battery sill completely covered with Thick
layer q tnrentneani tsipw 20 n,ako The shot glance
fha iossf aaR. a A -. = h.re at covered
sist tombs falling on H. u nast be fo5lnbered ,ba,
this deck sixty feet long AFT ard sixty forward Of
the battery. When she FIRST put anoat this deck
was abou, level with The water.
To put IL down three feet under witcr and thus oom
plseiy protect . well as tn Jons where he battery
joined the hull from shot, kenIodso piled the
..ck ooss By smooth and usiie he hull ~ she was
brought down 70 the determined bearings which
marked with rei Iine on the sile or the battery.
When thus ready for action the Morrnac presented to
visw nothing BIT the uscroo Ike battery and slight
wooden scafoldng laid forward the submerged
deck for the to work in securing the anchors,
which rested little urthor al than cstheads usually
Tho submerged hull unprotected, except strip Of
sheet iron tapping from the deck about -four inches
down. When she returned from her seton win the
Monitor this part OF her for the Whole length was roned
with inch and half iron tor three feet further under
water +.
Her sides we're cut down low that the propeller had
no protection all except slight wooden rim sufficient
70 support her stern post, TO hang her ruddsr.
Her rudder hung OF course, outside the propeller.
Tier steering apparatus along the submerged deck TO
tho battery IL Is evident that the stern was her weak
point vessel running into her after part might, even
ii III had done nothing worse have dsarranaed her steer
III gear and thus rendered her helpless Her propeller
100 was very much exposed TO butts from an enemy.
The PROV Intended 10 run into An enemy, was OF cast
iron II was in the shape OF shec nttnE over and Sc
cared 10 the STEM and to the ttmbcrs t. In her
rctssi0u WIN ths Cumberland This prov was torn OIL
E.. / or lal,t matt %to stw Ter whom she went al