Evening star., 1862-08-25
E,FF%sS@E STAR.
TIE Irer-CiSds for the Ohio

los Bfown. the contractor who Is building .he
'rlo-cists designed for service on the Ohio nd
81. SIP u, writes 70 the Louisville Jounsl:
" u" !4ree Cu- @ostS build - are being COW
- v q '7nn IS f,l rvs: Thlrkness Of iron on
'.' eaire deck, one inch on the sides, two
." =: ca tne HOw, two and half iECEe- and
% iEF LoWe!s, three inches; which, as yoT Will
ere ve, includes the entire boat "a ~cpt the
y eels, which are LEFT unprotected. rs to cover
iuem would yeTv considerably Increase the draft
ct water, and was deemed Unnecessary, as two OF
.ae boats are provided with pEoDtlleTS under va
:"T rs well wheels.
Yo1r frHrnatI9n the. these bnats are not as
well protected IS those now in use Is erroneous.
f1F there IS not gunDoat rCV IN use on the
5iissisappI River that Is half cov.-ed with Iron
"s any u !ckness, and tbo,c that have iron on
an have more thicker than ~ inches, md not
,ae-9uarter oy the boat covered with that, the
arch portion Cf It's being only one ZACH The
EsssX. fOr example, has only one Inch plate, dnA
not al covered with that.
rhp On. stIon resolves Itself int, this shape,
with re- ard 20 these three bI ats: Is the tT0n
-Ejes sEOHgh and Hot ar: they fT6ac.dd' ana
ysiiI eic stat IL has been Question in nv MUD
~ fhe- there WG~ irGn eHCu.h on certain pNr-
80 Cf t1r D as; aCd with Il virv 20 Increasing
~. role 20 b. BIresn IF Construction a ~ ash
-a2toI, asking permission to increase the tuic h
s, Cf iron OF The sides TO ihEse iEChes, AID on
8. C8spmas"s or tCwerS TO six iHc cEes, and fcoTa
the na:1re # their reply referring tie matter to
commodore Hull, a: ct. Louis, p-eStme twill
d. done
there IS however, this drawback to adding
ml-e weight, viz: the dratt OF wafer. and it
v-Hnld seem pity place b1dt Ike tire Chill
.-Crthe, now In the wafer, with all her iron
ID ard and drawing only tGirtr-fve Inches, in ths
sine situation with all thOse now built -aWirg
X feet, and unable 70 make over threg miles per
f1u-, while s.e viii make seven. But OF this
tlere Is no danger, all three Of these boats will
carry the additional weight prOpossd ON six In
CAgs additional water.
may be thought that the iron on the deck,
b-'HE OIly ore inch, Is not thick enough. but,
II actual test o. The Monitor u Is found 20 be
? great difficulty with all the iron clad or paE-
3lly irOn-c.ed boats now I'm use on the river, u
,Lat they are loaded with wood instead Cf iron,
9. great object Z the naval or military coastruc-
t'rs seeming to o. to provide W. for the mfOrt
=. he oElce.s, IutLsr than to build an tti lent
i-p-s-cizG hCat; ard IN my own case have found
c EcU..y n satisfying the Government ii. -ers n
t...s Te-Dect, preierFing, as l did, putiag the
eight IN metal rather thEu in cdP.alns' cabins
I lxtures.
In Ihe present march Of Improvement in fire.
rms. IL would he difficult to ssy what would
institute perfectly bsll proof boat, hut wish
ere 20 slate that IL could be allowed jsGt
T'':,T for The draft Of guHtoat, Will agree 20
ia beat that VIII Icy Glor s;dn Oy :ne heaviest
'-:,.y In existence all dav without ING injured
g ne Government need not IKE her; buE VITA
tn, e boats am bound dos to daft Of water,
Sue peHal.Y for ov running Which WEuld make
ftls h-ir stSnd Oh your head
Finally, do rot claim that these beats will be
perfectly impsretFaOie or imDIegnaCle against.
Hti> OF immense veg IA, o. guns II iiDTnsnve Ill
ib-e but l claim they are far in advance OF acy
on the rlvt!s, being infinitely better prOtec-
:. q Hy is0A and having al tEe machinery IN the
AsJ.d, dTaEylu2 Iit-r more thai half tue -7atr.
E@vIHg doGo.e the Epetd, and. Is they sit y-Ly
w III the water, pFeseat!ns very E:tle suifaoe 10
sHoet at"