New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-03-10

ton of the ves,e great strength, and that the gen.
.rsl objects aimed at are highly important; beside
which, various matters Of detail are approved.
| After which the majority Of the Board base an
opinion, upon certain objections which they enumer-
ate that It is not expedent TO fnisi the vessel on
The plans proposed" and since they have described
and criticized the vessel in detail, it is fairly az
sumed that there are no other objections
The minority report of Professor Henry is entirely
favorable. -
Since the objections the majority were wholly OF
an engineering character, and the only engineering
exrerts on the Board-Professor Henry and Nr.
Stfmers-were equally divided in opinion upon them,
and since tho three sea-oiicers OF the Board ac-
knowedged that they were not experts on these SUBJ
Jects, by asking that naval constructor might DC
put the Board follows that there IL no MAJOR
Ry rep0r Of ,IPerts against any feature o. "a"
| revei.
The only objection Of the majority deemed mate
rial by Prof. Henry is, that the ship is not strong
enough to 10 to sea. This objection is answered by
he certificate of Messrs. Harlan a. Holingsworth
of Wilmington Delaware, and Messrs. Neate Levy
& Co. OF Philadelphia, rho hare buh about fieo-
thirds Of the iron ships Uhch his country has pro-
duced, that they have carefully examined the Bat
terry, aud find il HroRg enough 10 safely STAND any
weather az sea. This opinion indorsed by the GER
tifcates of Mr.. Erastus w. Smith of New York,
Constructing Engineer Of several steamship linesi
Of Mr.. Miers Coryel Chief Engineer of the Morgan
Iron Works, New.York, and Of other eminent engi
peers shipbuilders aud shpowners. Again, an APP
proved mathematical comparison, proves the battery
as strong a. The iron steamers Austasian and Great
Eastern. The elements Of the strength OF the Bat
,ery are then fully aud clearly set forth.
The objection that the light upper deck would be
4" demolished" by firing over IL. 10 reiuted by the
fact that fac-simile OF the deck OF the Pattery
similarly situated and fred over, IN public exper-
m.nt i-d, not creH strained or started percepibly
- witnessed and acknowledged by two members Of
the Boari.
Stevens urged the Board TO witness this and other
experiments. bu, they deolin,d TO rat and see the
tac and declared that every artilierist knew mat
the deck would be demolished.
The objection that the sides OF the vessel cannot
carry the nrmor and other weight, IL refuted by the
fact, certified by Mr. T.. w. Smith before mentioned
thht seoton OF the side of the vessel itself, cut
loose from the adjacent parte, unsupported by the
extra bracing designed 10 be put in, and loaded With
GJ0re fcice tie rc,ga. il would have to carry, dad
not Jercoptibiy yisid IA tested by gauges.
Tie objection that the boilers can safely carry but
twenty-five pounds Of steam pressure, Is reiued by
the certificate of the United States Supervising In
tpector of boilers, who states that lie proved them
with sirty-rix ard two-thirds pounds, ntsch road
enthe ii,ia by lac 10 cdrryfTy pounds.
The objection that the pumps for removing the
water used 10 settle the vessel from the coal-bunk-
efs bilg. Mc. would choke with fine coal and de-
bris il di-proved by the certificates Of engineers
who have employed the centrifugal pumps referred
| q,
aud BY the sworn certificates of other engineers
that thee prInps, used for wrecking purposes
discharge shells, gravel, &c, and often seventy-hve
Per cent OF sand
Tic objection that the vesse would sink il the shot
rroof deck ioro aid aft the caaemate flooded, h
answered bv the fact that the buoyancy OF the shot
proof parts above water more than balances the loss
of buoyancy by foodog the deck, and that the veg
eel would settle but IA inches. Or. by pumping All
equivalent amount of water out OF the tanks. or by
IL =, a.. Al
which il optional the condition Of things specified
in the report could not occur a. all
The objection that the engine couplings being rigid
| the shafts would cramp and heat, "a answered by
the abatement Of Mr. T.. w. Smith, ard II Mr.. Miers
Coryeli who has built l2J marine cngines, that the
| couplings are not rigid, but sufficiently flexible.
The two or three other objections to matters of
detail are comparatively unimportant, and are com
pletsy hspToyed.
hr Stevens attributes the objections to miacon-
ceptious on the part OF tho Board. which he could
have removed IL the Board had expressed any doubts
pkiie he uas bcfoye hcm. Instead OF which, they
omitted 70 witness The costly eIperimentshe had pre-
pared 10 prove the correctness Of his views.
| Mr. Srvens then answers an expression Of the
Board which might be understood TO intimate that
his plan of inclined afmor is European invention,
aud covered by English patents Of 1873 and 1889, by
stating hat lie cXperinented on inclined arn0r dur
pg TIE war OF 1872; and lie republishes letter from
lin s.li aud brothers TO Board OF Army and Navy
officers dated Aug Is, 1874, in which they advocate
lhs and most OF tie other improvements in modern
war vessels.
lie tLen states That keeping these plans aud results
tecret Jr the benefit Of hs country done ut great
sacIiiC. Of personal considerations.
TheL follows the statement Of Col Delafeld NOW
ia charge Of tho deienses Of Newiork, presumed TO
represent the views of military engineers generally
that The objects aimed at in this vessel ARE highly
imp rtant aud can be successfully accomplished
The memorial concludes with tho statements that
the G0ryrnmeHt diready has an interest Of half Il
million g0ildrs IN tie battery; that as ghoic cost
RAJ be- less hah half that Of the European ron-clad
yesetls which, according TO The report OF the Board
are fur rjer,Or, as L. protection, speed, and cf
ciehcy II 6Toadside that the time eq uired to build
n vessel Of equal dimensions and power would be
eighteen months TO two years while the Battery can
b. finished IN about four months; that the smaller
ronclad vessels now ordered, however valuable for
special nurIoser, cannot compete with such last aud
heavy vessels rs tho Warrior, nor keep them out Of
our harbofri chat all The g1cat FEATURES If tte Bat
teIy GTe generally approod, and that no objections
hare bcen raissd that can be maintained.
L. ln appendix there arc presented illustrations
and description Of the vessel, full statement of
her fighting qualities and the results Vi elaborate
experiments, as noted by Mr.. Stevens, aud by Mr..