Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1862-08-30
Columbia Rules the Seas,

Columbia Rules tho Seas
Our Government says the Philadelphia
Ledger. is wisely strengthening the navy in
the class Of vessels that have recently proved
to be the most efficient for war purposes. All
our availablsiron establishments are employed
at this time in building iron-clad steamers Of
various kinds. some after the fashion Of the
Monitor, all of which will be completed by
autumn, giving US the most powerful iron
navy yet constructed. Capt. Ericsson has .
contract for six Monitor, all on the general
plan Of the first Monitor. but each with Pc
culiarities Of it's own. Some of these will be
300 feet long or nearly twice the length Of the
first Monitor. The turrets will be three
iuches thicker than the first ship upon this
pattern. 1he whole six vessels are intend.
I'd for sea service, as well as barbor de-
tense.
These gunboats are built at Greenwich, by
Mr.. Rowland. They are 3l2 feet long, with
armor six inches thick. The Whitney gun.
boat, being built at the Dry Dock Iron Works,
is different in form from any other. 1t is
shaped like duck. is 156 feet long. and is
entirely built Of iron, having no wood work
on her frames or sides. The frame is ribs or
rings Of iron, growing smaller towards the
ends; the ribs three-quarters Of an inch in
thickness. The iron plates, to the thickness
Of seven inches, are laid upon these ribs. 1t
will carry two large turrets, and will be pro-
PEELED with three propelling engines. At the
bow there is formidable iron ram nine feet
long.
The other iron-clad vessels being construct.
ed. are one by Mr.. Colwell, at Jersey City,
which is an iron-clad Monitor. One is being
built at Boston. precisely Of the same pattern.
Three hulls and six turrets by T. F. Row.
land, at Green Point. Three sets Of engines
and boilers for these three hulls are being
built at the Diameter Works, New York city.
Two huls complete. with engines, boilers and
turret at the Atlantic Works, East Boston,
and Loring T. Co., South Boston. Two hulls
complete, with engines and boilers, but with
out tunet. at Chester, Pa. Reany & Sons.
One hull complete, but without turret, at VIII
mington. Del. The U. s. steam frigate Roam
oke is being covered with armor and supplied
with turrets at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
The Ironsides at this port is nearly completed.
The new Monitors will cost 100000 each.
which is cheaper than wooden vessels of the
same size. The Roanoke cost S500,000 and
$4,000 annually to keep her in repair.
Each of tho Monitor class Of vessels will
be armed with guns able to whirl shot weigh.
ing 425 its, which is nearly three times the
weight Of the round shot fired from the larg-
est Armstrong guns yet made for the British
navy. It is stated that some Of them will
carry guns which will throw a shell Of 1000
pound weight. In addition to these new ves-
sells, number Of iron-clad gunboats for lake
and river service are under way. Tie Mar
inc Railway and Duck Company. are con.
slructing two new gunboats Of owl deck and
iron-clad. It is intended to render them in
vulnerable. all sorts of military prcjectiles
glancing from the sides without producing
any impression. A number Of others are in
process Of construction, for use on the Mississ.
ippi. When these are all finished, We need
not have any further apprehension about the
British and French iron.clad navies. The
British have four iron-clad vessels built. and
are constructing twelve others. all on the old
plan, and some Of them will not b. construc-
ted under two years. In addition to these.
three large three-deckers arc to be cut
down aud constructed with revolving turrets.
The French have six iron.clad frigates aaoat
and eleven building
- Although the national debt ofour coun.
try. now amounting to about $4oo.0oo.ooo.
may seem large to u, it is small as compared
with that Of tho great nations Of Christsndom.
The debt Of Italy and Russia il y large ~
ours; Austria has four. France Eve, and Great
Britain ten times a. large debit There is
probably. no population in the world % rich.
in proportion to it, numbers. q the Americans
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