The weekly Butte record., 1862-05-10
Stevens Battery.

from the New ork Herald:
First-Iron armor. six and three-quarter inch
!, es thick, backed with fourteen inches OF the
most impenetrable wood, and standing at the
acute angle of one in two to the line OF fire, Is
a vastly stronger protection than has ever been
applied or found vulnerable by any expert
menters at home or abroad. At the same
time it is comparatively light, as its extent ls
reduced by conining It to the Central part Of
the vessel-by placing the guns (which are
their own protection) outside Of it, rather than
within it. aud by immersing the vessel to a
deeper fighting draft. The parts of the vessel
fore and aft the central easemate are also
thoroughly protected by horizontal deck,
which Is not only shot proof. bat foot below
the fighting water line. The water protection,
as far as it can be judiciously employed, IS at
once the most perfect and cheapest armor.
+ Second-The side protection, extending from
stem 10 stern, is intended TO answer these four
important purposes
+ l. Protection from pTojectiles.
I 2 Protection from disaster by collision.
i 8 Increasing the immersed beam, and the
stability of the vessel when fighting.
/ t. Adding, 10 very great degree, to the
horizontal and yerticle strength and stiffness
+ of the vessel.
] iuEu- J lie itHLl-DSc PoNct u tHC CASlt4CS
and the fneness of the lines guarantee a much
higher speed than has been attained by any
/ seagoing war steamer-in other words, choice
of position This vessel will have the entire
horse power of the Great Eastern, with about
one-third the Great Eastern's resistance or
twice the horse power of any war vessel The
sharpness of her lines is unprecedented 10 any
Government practice, and in any, except the
latest and most successful commercial practice.
Fourth-1he ability of the vessel to turn
round rapidly on her own centre, without
making headway, by means of two screws, in
stead of occupying the time and making the
circuit required by all other war vessels. will
I give her remarkable and important facilities for
maneuverlng in action. In connection with
/ her great speed. it will enable her to overhaul
/ one after another of an enemvs feet, within a
1 very short time to run close alongside of an
enemy 10 present herself for action in her
most effective position; to bring her broadslde
to bear 10 any direction; TO turn round in mar
row channels and when necessary, to retreat
in any direction, with facility.
i Fifth-The employment of two entire dis
tinct means of propulsion-the two screws and
their respective sets of engines--and the subdi-
vision of the power applied to each screw will
enable her to be steered in case of accident to
the rudder, and will afford double the ordinary
security against disability from breakage of
machinery in fighting or cruising.
SiXth-Fhe steam loading, by means of
stopping the recol by springs, aud the cooling
Of the bore of the gun at each discharge, allows
such rapid firing that one of these guns. con
sdering also the weight of the projectiles, is as
efficient as a small broadside worked in the
usual way.
Sevenih-The situation of the guns en- bar
bette, or on the top of the casemate, or armor,
instead of within it, affords the following ad
vantages in fighting the ship:
/. 1t gives all the guns the entire range of
the horizon. Three guns al a time can be fired
in line with the keel, forward or aft.
2. The seven guns, since each gun is avail
able on both port and the starboard side. will
do not only the duty of fourteen guns arranged
in the ordinary way, but of a still greater num-
Der, because, while guns as ordinarily placed
have only the few degrees Of range permitted
by the size of the port holes all the guns of
this vessel can sweep the horizon
3 BY setting the guns by a graduated index
plate, within the casemate so that they shall
point at the proper relative angles, and then
placing the vessel, either by turning her in her
centre, or by going ahead or astern, so that
one gun bears upon the object to be hit the
fire of all the guns would be concentrated upon
that object, without losing time OF training
each gun.
/. As there is no casenlate over the guns,
there will be no port holes into which an enc
my might pour shells and grape-shot, or, ac-
cording to recent experience sohd shot, with
terrible effect, at close quarters.
) The immense weight and cost of case
mo tpS Ovar tho nf1nc arc 1icDor SpI with
Eighth-1he use of the heaviest successful /
ordnance known not only makes the gun its |
own armor but affords the following advanta-
ges in fighting the ship.
/ The smashing effect of a single heavy /
projectile upon single point of an enemys /
sides is vastly greater than that of an equal
weight Of lighter projectiles. In close quarters
"a position the vessel is by her speed and
geableness, able to assume at her option
the velocity of The projeclile may be so re-
duced that its weight may be, in like p3rpor-
tion, increased, without bringing greater
strain upon the gun. 1t is believed that the
fifteen inch gun can carry an elongated projec-
tile of half a ton weight. The smashing effect
of such missile would not only be greater
than that Of q lighter missile, but even more
destructive at low than at a high elocity.
according to the representations Of military
engineers
>. Besides all the advantages OF position and
rapid loading described, these seven heavy guns
throw far greater weight OF metal at q broad
side than any other war vessel in the world, as
will be observed from the following table:
WARRIOR.
Length $50 feet between perpendieRars: over all,
10 feet; beam, 5S feet; draft when dsplacing
1000 tons 26 feet.
Weight Of broadside protected guas...-. S34 lbs.
Weight OF broa6slde, total guns (+S) ,564 los
Ia GL0IRE.
Weight OF broadside protected guns $50 lbs
MINNESOTA.
Weight Of bT0adslde (withoUt armor) 4, ,l22 lbs.
STEVENS, BATTERY.
Weight CT broadside ...----.......-..2, 200 lbs
THIS BATTLE OF SHILoH-Soon after the
battle of Shiloh, the telegraph announced the
losses Of the beligerent armies as 10000 on
the Federal side and 35 900 on the side Of the
rebels. The exact loss of the Federal army
as stated in the official report. was l3575-of
which number nearly 1000 were made prison
ers, This is close approach to the first rough