Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-03-10
THE STEVENS BATTERY.


MIR. Steveps' Memorial to Congress
Merit unanimously admitted by the Board of
E1dmiHsrS-RsSE!tS of Experiments and Opin-
tons Of Experts, dtSprorfHg the objections Of the
Mdjortty
The following is an abstract Of an elaborate
paper thus entitled, and presented to Congress:
The Board lately appointed to examine the
Stevens Battery, unanimously admit that the
parts OF the vessel above water, and Intended TO
be shot proof, are inrWlHsTabIe; that the speed
will be seventeen knots, or nearly twenty miles
an hour, even at the reduced seam pressure of
twenty five pounds; that the weight and eff
cheney Of brosdside, and also the capability Of
rapid maneuvering, are unprecedented; that all
the guns can fire in any Direction; that all the
eight engines can be managed by two men; that
the engine and other framing gives the central
portion Of the vessel great strength. and that the
general objects aimed at are highly important;
besides which, various matters Of detail are
approved.
After which the majority of the Board base an
opinion, upon certain objections which they emu
merate, that 1t Is not expedlent to finish the
sci ''on the plans propOsed;D and since they have
described and criticised the vessel In detail II is
fairly assumed that there are other objections.
The minority report Of Professor Henry is en-
trely favorable.
Since the objections of the majority were
wholly OF an engineering character, and the
only engineering experts on the board-Profes-
sor Henry and Mr.. sinners were equally d.
vided in opinion upon them, and since the three
sea officers Of the Board acknowledged that they
were not experts on these subjects by asking
that Naval Constructor might be put on the
Board, II follows that there is no majority report
gezpeTtS against any feature ofthis cesseI
The only objection Of the majority deemed ma
terial by Professor Henry is that the ship Is not
strong enough to GO to sea. This objection is
answered by the certificate Of Messrs. Harlan &
Hollingsworth, OF Wilmington. Delaware and
Messrs. Neafe, Levy & Co., Philadelphia srho
hdrs built about tico-thiTdS Of the iron ships
carefully examined the Battery, and find II strong
enough to safely stand any weather at sea- This
opinion is Endorsed by the certificates of Mr.
Erastus w smith, OF New York, constructing
engineer of several steamship lines; Of Mr. Miers
Coryell, Chief Engineer Of the Morgan Iron
w orks, New York; and Of other eminent enrin-
GERS, shipbuilders and ship owners. Again an
approved mathematical com parson, proves the
Battery strong the iron steamers Australia ian
and Great Eastern. The elements of strenpt In of
the Battery are then fully and clearly set forth
The objection that the lie bit upper deck would
be demolished" by firing over Ii, Is refuted by
the fact that fac-simile Of the deck Of the Bat
terry, similarly situated and fred over, In public
experiment tcds NOT eren strained or started psr-
ceptibly, as witnessed and acknowledged by two
members Of the Board
Five days before the date of their report Mr.
Stevens urged the Board to witness this and other
experiments but they declined 10 tcdit and see the
fact, and declared that every artillerest kne w
that the deck would be demolished.
The objection that the sides Of the vessel cannot
carry the amor and other weight, is refu.ed bv
the fact certified by Mr.. f. w Smith before
mentioned, that section Of the side of the vessel
itself, cut loose from the adjacent parts unsup-
ported by the extra bracing designed to be put In
ana loaded with obore fcics The tosight II would
by gauges.
The objection that the boilers can safely carry
put twenty-five pounds Of steam pressure, is re-
futed by the certificate OF the United States Su
pervsing inspector Of boilers who states that be
proved them with sixty six and two third pounds
pounds. ~
The objection that the pumps for removing the
water used to settle the vessel from the coal
srs, oiige, &c, would choke with fine coal and
deoris, is disproved by the certificates of epgi-
neefs VINO have employed the centrifugal pumps
referred TO. above six years, for raising sunken
coal vessels and by the sworn certificates Of other
engineers, that these pumps, used for wrec king
purposes, discharge shells, gravel &c, and often
sew :nty- five per cent. Of sand.
The objection that the vessel would sink II the
shot,pIoof deck fore and aft the casemate was
Hooded, Is answered by the fact that the buoyancy
OF the shot-proof parts above water more thai,
balances the loss Of buoyancy by flooding the
deck, and that the vessel would settle but t4I
OF water out Of the tanks or by settling the yesse
little less In the frst place. ali which 10 OPTIONAL
the condition Of things as specified In the report
could not occur all.
The objection that the engine coupling, being
rigld, The shafts would cramp and heat In an.
swered 6y the statement Of Mr.. f. w Smith and
OF Mr. Miles Coryell (who has built I25 marine
nsinesy ma. me couplings are not rigid, but
The two or three other objections to matters of
aeIali are comparatively unimportant, and are
Mr.. Stevens attributes the objection, 10 miscon
ceptions on the part Of the Board, which he could
have removed IL the Board had express.d anv
a1uos toAtH ne w1s before them. Instead Of
Wnlcn, tney omitted to witness the costly experi-
Of his views
mr; Stevens then answers an expression Of the
Board, which might be understood to Intimate
snat his plan OF inclined armor 10 European in
venuon, and covered by English patents Of 1858
ana 1893, by stating that he experimental on in.
SiIheo armor during the war Of 1912; and he repub-
nsnes letter from himself and brothers to
board OF Army and Navy officers, dated August
I'D, loil, In which they advocate this and most
OF .ne other improvements In modern war yessels
He then states that keeping these plans and
results secret for the benefit Of his country was
done al great sacrifice Of personal derstons
,,aw q, ,S h t9e statement Of Col Delafisld,
presumed to represent the views Of militarv en-.
gineers generally, that the objects aimed at in
tbs vessel are high iy important and can be sue
The memorial concludes with the statements.
tnat the GocsrHnent already has interest of half
mutton dollars IN the Battery; that ITS schoLs
eoSf totH Be less than half that of the European
iron-clad vessels, which according 10 the renort
OF the Board ars far inferior, as to projections,
sPssd ard efficiency Of b,Oadsids that the time
sna uinea 70 Dulid vessel Of equal dimensions
ana power would be eighteen months to two
years, while the Battery can be finished In about
Tour months; that the smaller iron-clad yesseIs
now ordered, however valuable for special pur
poses, cannot compete with such fast and heavy
vessels as the Warrior, nor keep them out Of our
haroors that all the great features of tAs Batter
are generally approved land that no objections
hdrs osea raised that eas be Dgatafaiasd
la an appendix there are presented iIust rattan.
ana description OF the vessel full statement OF
ner nghting qualities and the results Of elaborate
az noted by Mr.. Stevens, and by Mr..
Department, on firing the heaviest ordnance m :
Target representing the armor Of the Battery: on
tne rapid loading Of heavy guns by steam, and |
stopping their recoil by india rubber; and on
settlng vessel into the water for better protec
tlon, ard rapidly turning her on her center by |
The appendix concludes with the MAJORITY and