, 1862-03-11


TEE e. S. STEAMER ROANOKE.
The Roanoke, only mentioned in this fight
as the flagship Of our squadron, disabled pre-
yiously by the breaking Of her shaft, is still
larger than the Merrimac, though never SO
much a tayorite, She measures 800, was
pierced for40 guns, and is in all other respects
much like the other screw steamers Of her
c1ass.
THE U. S. STEAMER M1NNES0TA.
This vessel is also a frst-class steamer, ex-
actly the size and measurement Of the Meni-
mac, though Of different and We believe an
infc11or model. 1t Is a part Of the good for
tune Of the day that she was run ashore out
Of the reach Of the destruction that overlook
the sailing vessels Of the blockading feet.
TIE q. S. FRIGATE ST. LAWRENCE.
The st. Lawrence is an old-class frigate Of
50 guns, built at Gosport navy yard in 1917,
and up to the commencement of the war
passed most Of her time in ordinary at Kit
tory.
TIE REBEL GuNBOATS JAMESTOWN AND
YORKTOWN.
The Jamestown was in pcaceful times the
eon5ort Of the Yorktown, and both were mo-
>derate sized sca-going steamers Of ordinary
construction, constituting the New York and
Richmond line. Both have been altered into
gunboats, and figured briefly in this fight
The Jamestown has been recently described
by one who saw her while re building, as fur
nished with heavy, clumsy and ridiculous
looking iron PROV in front, the point Of which
barely projects above the water. To all ap-
peara1,ce the ship is not raced at all, iron
plated, or pierced for hroadside guns. Her
batteries seem to consist Of 33-pouud rifcd
gun foreand aft. The only remarkable alter
ation observable in her was the removal Of
masts and rail, and the increased deck room
afforded.
THE SITUATION.
Our full diagram saves us much explanation,
IS showing the waters for months past guard
ed By our war vessels keeping in close su9yeil-
lance all the approaches to Norfolk Theleal-
ing feature Of interest for months past, has
been the daily arrival Of the flag Of truce boat
down the james river, the best Office Of which
has been the return Of our prisoners from reb-
el captivity. Our previous full dispatch has
EAf\A WI AI0ASA0 lAV 4AEiAC11La VI LilN 4iGAt
battle Of Sunday last, and subsequent dispatch
es confirm its chief Incidents, with further de-
tails.
TIE MONITOR.
4 stern Monitor she hns proved to the too
confident Met1imac- In December last the
Board Of Naval officers appointed to report on
non-clad ships and batteries presented to the
Department their views. AS the result Of this
report, proposals were forthwith invited for
Iron mail plates for arming our present wood
en- vessels, as the Board, in the question be-
tween ships all iron and those Of weod iron-
clad, inclined to the latter. AS cruisers, iron
and iron clad ships will be unsuccessful,
they think, because, though their attack
on wooden vessels must be fatal, the
wooden ship would keep out Of the Fay.
It was suggested that our Government
should procure an iron clad vessel,
to be built in England; but this
was unnecessary, as the event has
proved. It Was determined to seek for pro-
PoEa1s among our own ship-builders. The
qualities demanded were Hight draught and
invulrcrabi1ity, The Board received seven
teen proposals, OF which the most remarkable
was one by j. Ericsson, New York, who pro-
pose battery, 172 feet long, IL feet broad,
11111 feet deep, 10 feet draught, 1,255 tons
measurement, to make speed Of miles per
hour, to cost $275, 600, and require 100 days to
build.
Capt. Ericsson is best known to the world as
the inventor Of the Caloric Motor. The con.
tract with him bore date 9Th Of October, and
stipulated TINT within one hundred days the
entire structure must be ready for active ser.
vice. In view Of the magnitude Of the work
to be performed, this condition appeared al.
most impossible to comply with, and called fol
extraordinary diligence on the part Of tue
constructor. There Tas another stipulation in
the contract Of most remarkable character
and probably without precedent, viz, the
trial Of the efficiency Of the battery must bt
made under the guns Of the enemy's batteries
! at the shortest ranges. The United States t.
furnish guns and ammunition, as well as Off
| GERS and mcn.
t The following is !, brief sketch of Captain
Ericsson's plan as developed in the s'Mos1
TORI
The structure consists Of three princtpa
/
| pendicular sides, dead fat bottom and pointer
ends. Under this shallow vessel second an,
deeper vessel is attached with raking stem ant
stern, perfectly flat bottom and sides inclinet
at an angle of 81 deg. to the vertical line. Th1
lower 1essel does not extend the entire lengtl
OF breadth Of the upper one, It is in fre
communication with the latter, the bottom 0
which is cut out corresponding eEetly witt
the top line Of the lower vessel The thir,
principal part consists Of = cylindrical turre
placed on the deck Of the upper vessel
Ibis tuIret contains the armament, which
that screw propeller is applied at
Of the rakhg stem Of thclower yessel
and ait OF The propeller an cquipoisc rudde1
both Of which arc thus hidden under the Ut
per vessel, By which they arc most effectuall
protected; the anchor being in like manne
the upper vessel, within which it Is suspende
in cy}inderica1 chamber open from bclo 4
d steam engine, boilers mud blower.
all snugly slowed away IN the lowe
ycssel, complete the general arrangemen
of the battery which Ericsson has bee
bnildirg for the Government for the purpoa
Of silencing the guns ofour antagonists on th
banks Of tic Southern rivers. The fol1owip
| particulars will furnish our readers with th
necessary data for estimating the chances
Eueeeea in this important enterprise NJ
per veesel, built Of iron, is 174 feet long,
}~feet inches wide, and S feet extreme deptl
The draught Of water will be 5 feet inche:
ard consequently The projection above wats
. line will be only 18 inches. 4 wooden bu
wark, composed principally Of white oak, {
inches thick, protects the sidc Of the upperv ve
, sci, ard extends down to the bottom, being th1
5leet deep. This bul~ark is secured to the re
sells sides in d peculiar manner. requiring Z
through bolts. An armor, composed Of rslls
| plate iron, in all six inches thick, covers ii
, | bul7Valk from top to bottom, extending q
| round the vessel. The stem aud stern beir
both pointed at an angle Of 90 degrees, Il