The New York herald., 1862-03-26
THE NAVY.
The Brooklyn Navy Yard.


Since our last report Of Affairs in the Navy Yard
Brooklyn, the sloop-ofwar Roanoke has been placed
under the shears two hundred sot to work
dsmantng her. She Is already cut down six feet
and is to be converted into iron clad battery Tho
operatives othcr portions OF the yard continue hard at
work. and the work in thoir hands 10 progressing
rapidly In fact every department the yard presents
an unusual scene OF activity.
The names OF vessels there at present are
North Carolina. .......... Receiving ship.
Roanoke. .DStnantiing.
Savannah. ah................. Dsmantled.
John Adams. Dsmantled.
Massachusetts ........ Repairing in dry dock.
Dawn. Receiving machinery.
Somerset. Preparing for armament
Fort Henry................Pr Preparing for armament.
lacKaw&n2 '..O On tno stoCks
Iiconderogs. On the stocks.
The rev side-whesl gunboat Port Royal Is receiving
her machinery at Stacks yard Brooklyn The Mystic is
still at Gresnpont and the Adirondack is having her
machinery put board at the Allsre works.
There about two hundred marines at present at
the barracks, undor command Of Captain Garland.
rHK NEW UNITED STATES FRIGATE PRANKLIN-NE-
cEssIrY OF PLATING HER WITH IRoN-COMPARr-
SON WITH OTHER VESSELS. ETC.. ETC.
It not generally known by the public at large, espe-
ciay by those persons unconnectsd with the navy-and
il appears have boen forgotten by the Navy De-
parment se-that for the las. four Eve years there
launched magnificent friga,s of fifty guns. All
that is necessary that proper provision should
for the building Of her engines and for plating her with
iron in the approved and effective manner in
very short there would be added to navy
ther OF those mprsgnsble iron ships which we
can depend in the future
In 1853 the old shpof tho line Franklin sent to the
Navy Yard at Portsmouth, n. H. for repairs The mode
of repairing considered the most udcious by the then
Secretary the Navy, Mr. Dobbn, TO take her
trely to pieces and build in her stead first steam
frga,e. This done out Of the fund which Congress
approprses every year for repairs but the machinery
could be built from that fund, because the old Frank
lin never had any machinery be repaired either by ro-
placing with or otherwise; and Congress- soon
after this appropriated money for building large first
class steam rigates which, their completion have
beon considered until now sufficient perform the scr
vice we require class Of vessels the money ncces
sary for furnishing this machinery has been pro
vided. Now however when the nation has how
nearly havo been to tho necessity Of meeting upon
the seas the powerful navy Of England 1t Is hoped there
will no longer be any delay in completing this vessel
and in iron plating her after the suggested BY
our late improvements.
In 1856 before tho demon OF secession had exhibited
itself in the south and while the United States Navy was
rising into great Importance, sent the Msrrnac upon
. cruise to European waters. The English at per-
ceved that throughout their immense navy thoy had M
vessel competent to cope with her, and Immediately
laid the kseIs Of fvo frgates. which they con
sdered would be equal to the five had just completed
OF which the Merrmac was the type. OF these five
English frgates the Mersey is sample. Below give
the dimensions Of the Msrrimac. the Msr
sey snd the frankin:-
Merrimdc. Nersey Franklin.
Extreme ength...... 2Sln. 330ft Gin. 3O5ft.
Length between per-
pendcuars 25Iu. Din. 300ft. 265ft. Gin.
Extreme breadth. 52ft. Ain. 52ft - 54ft Bin.