Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-01-14

hood in fair stand-up fight Is wanting in all Of their
schemes The fox and not the lion s their type Of the
soldier. Ingenuity, cunning, evasion rckery, false
hood, and humbug are the means on which they rely
rather than the open and equal contests in which proves
and skill decide the issue The following is the latest
invention of theirs have noticed for making war
q safe business:
Mr. A. 4. Stevens has completed at Bordentown, New
jersey gunboat of peculiar construction, which, with
her armament he has presented 10 the Government a.
testimony Of his patriotic feeling. The hull is built Of
iron, in the usual manner being firm and boted to
iron beams and knees. Her length Is one hundred and
one feet twenty feet beam depth Of hold feet six
inches. When light she will draw about four feet OF
water but when 10 action her draught will be between
seven and eight feet She has two engines each work
ing independently of the other Each Of them gives
power 20 screw propeller, that, by reversing one
engine aud moving the other ahead the vessel Is turned
around within her length and so rapidly Is the eyo-
luton performed that only requires Que mnute aud
half TO turn the vessel one hundred and eighty degrees
The smokesack will be hidged to lower down. and
not present perpendicular mark for the enemys gun-
uers Besides the two main engines there are two ar
ery engines used for the purpose Of flooding the water
compartments and throwing out the water. ,
The hold Of the vessel is divided into four apartments
The forward one Is for water; the secord officers and
mems quarters the third engine and boiler room; and
the fourth after one Is also water-tank. The for
ward and afteTmost bukheads water.tight In the
bottom OF the vessel in each of the water apartments is
hole, sixteen inches in diameter, on which is fitted
valve which is worked from the deck force pump In
each apartment also TO pump out the water When the
vessel is ready TO approach battery with the view of at
lacking t. the valves are opened in each OF the water
apartments, and large stream rushes in. When the
vessel is settled to the proper DEPTH there seventeen
inches water over the deck.
To prevent the water running into the engine room
and the officers quarters, high combings are placed
around the hachway which rise severAnches Nboye the
Lowell of the water. The helmsmRn is placed in box
which has anges upon IL and is settled down the after
haicbwGy completely out Of range. From here he can
sec to steer the vessel as well direct the the Engineers
in the working Of the engines. One other man remains
on deck to fire the gun.
The vessel is armed with one rasd l00-pounder gun
Of the Parott patent placed in the center Of the vessel
upon dais around which rises high eombirg, to pre-
vent the water from reaching it, The gun loaded by
men standing in the hold, or in the mems quarters
When this novel craft il IN position by settling her in
the water nothing visible 10 the enemy but the outline
Of the hull marked by the bulwsrks unsubmsfged and
the gun amidshps To person 10 the slightest degree
acquainted with gunnery, Il will be readily how I'll
cult il will be to hit this Philadelphia Evening
Bulletin, 20th.