The New York herald., 1862-01-31
OUR IRON CLAD VESSELS.

Launch OF the Ericsson Iron Steam Bat.
tcry-Description OF the VcsseI-Its Ar
mamcnt, &c.
An act passed last summer by Congress aut oriz
ing the Secretary Of the Navy advertise for proposals
for the construction of ron-cad vessels war;
those making proposals in all to furnish their
plans In order to provide for the building Of such as
should be accepted, the Of 900 appropi
ated, and the following naval officer were appointe an
examining board to look the plans that should be
offered and select such should be deemed expedent
Captains Joseph Smith, Hiram Pauldng ID Charles H.
Davis
Out Of many plans offered but three were accepted,
and they all Of different pattern. One of the de-
signs accepted from Capt in Ericsson, the well
known engineer.
Captain Ericssoa's inventions are many and valuable
He has introduced important changes not only In
tho naval service but also In merchant marine In
designing the present battery he taken entirely
different from that Of his predecessors Of other
countries and the model and appearance of the battery
differ SO much from anything before seen as provo
great curiosity The construction Of it has. like that Of
the well known Stevens battery, been carried en- in
secret. We do not by this that the workmen em-
poyed on her had to take any VOWS the in
the building Of the othor but 1t was carried in house
built for the purpose and the eyes Of the pubic
off il until such time should be ready to launch The
work has been rapid her that the astonshmelt
o. all she clared re ,dy {, enter her element
Thursday and accordingly every thing got in readi
ness, and few minutes aft tsr the hour appointed
THE LAUNCH
took place. and it undoubtedly Of not The most
important events that has occurred to navy usher
ing in does, principle in naval architecture,
forming the first step FOR the building Of Of the
finest navies in the world and enabling It to successfully
cope with the boasted vessels Of Europe.
The hour and day appointed for the launch at half
past nine o'clock yesterday morning; and although the
day anything but pleasant curiosity appeared be
largely in the ascendancy which clearly proved by
the many hundreds of spectators among whom
were many ladies, who, with praseworthy courage,
bravcd the and cold, and patiently waited to
the strange shape glide into the water from the walls
that encompassed it. As reward for their courage,
they had but short time to watt as, with unusual
puncuay the battery left its ways before O'Clock
There appeared TO be general impression that the vessel
would submerge itself greatly IL not dive into the depths Of
the river altogether. To prevent this he first, not the
as from happening two water proof boxes were placed
at her to buoy her up and they acted like CHARM
she gided smoothly and swiftly any ordinary
vessel making very little commotion in the water As
she emerged from her wooden walls she received
with the enthusiastic shouts Of Welcomes which, Of
course, responded to by those board but the
party very small being composed Of only five six
persons. Among them Captain Ericsson, Isaac
Newton, United States Naval Engineer who has been
ssng in the superntendcnce Of the battery, and
porter. party of friends waiting propeller
ont in the for her them and the moment
she touched the they steamed towards her and
towed her back to the cock where she will until
finished. The ways which she was launched
were the used the General Admiral
and tho Adriatic Among the spectators OF the
LAUGH we noticed many OF the naval officers atachcd
TO the various vessels in port and naval captains
The launch took place the yard OF Mr.. Rowland at
Greenpoint, L. j.
THE BATTERY.
We have before Published full description Of the
Ericsson battery; but at the present time sho. and
history Of it cannot but be acceptable will
to freshsn the public memory, and besides the bat
terry will no doubt be In action in less than month
Is broad long, nat hottoned vessel, with vertical
sides and pointed ends, requiring but very shallow
depth OF water to ont n though heavily loaded with
mpregnabe upon its sides, and bombproof deck
on which Is placed shot proof revolving tnrre, that
will contain two very heavy guns. II is so low in tho
TO afford no target for enemy and every thing
and everybody Is below the water lire. with the excep
Of the persons working The guns who stated
before, are protected by The shotprooi turret.
To give the upper portion Of tho vessel tho proper
powers Of ocomoticn, there Is suspended beneath IL
ing at the sides that II the cncnys balls should pass
low TIE shoproof upper vessel those sides only be
hit such acute angle that harm shall cnsue
rakng may receive the shot fired from directly
ahead in tho and AT the stern giving ccnt
space to permit tho shot comrg from directly art 10 pass
under the shptproof end without hitting the rulder,
which Is abaft the propeller.
The OF the vessel 6rst formed Of plate iron
half inch thick, outside OF which Is attached solid
white oak tweBy-sx inches thick outside this again
is rolled iron aimor Ave inches thick. Tho bombproor
deck is supported By heavy braced oak beams upon
which ~ laid panking inches thick covered with
rolled plate iron one inch thick.
The trret consists Of rolled plato iron skeleton one
iuch each OF rolled iroa plates Outside " this again
six plates Of rolled ircn all firmly bolted together
with nuts inside, that H plate started IL can bo
at once gened again. The top is O. vered with bomb
proof roof perforated with holes The lower rat OF the
gun carriages consists OF solid wrought iron beams these
psncd leffecty true and placed parallel in the
tirret-both OF the pointing IN The same direction
The urts through the side OF the tunnel only large
enough permit the muzzlo Of tho gun 10 bo thrust
through. Inside Of them wrought iron pcndulums
which close them against the enemy noon as tho gun
recois. Two Of the largest Dahgren will DO placed
board The whole Is made To revolve by pair of
steam engines rlaced beneath the deck
The lower vessel is Of iron, one half inch thick, and
made Ia the usual IL will carry the machinery
coal &C., aft and forward the officers quarters afnmu
milton and The two partitions of the vessel are
separated By wrought iron r onkheaa. The on
and ventilated and III by openings from tho deck
The machinery consists Of two horizontal tubular
boilers containing 1000 square feet OF fire surface,
two horizontal concnsing engines forty inch diameter
OF cylinders and twenty two inch stroke of piston Tho
propeller nine feet in diameter and sixteen feet stroke
For the better ventilation Of the vessel there arc two
fan blowers drawing air down through bomb proof
gratngs in tho deck Sho expected TO attain a speed
Of seven miles an hour. Though not intended for
vessel che proceed 70 sea- 10 any point along the
coast. without doing her the least injury she will carry
three months provisions, and be supplied with con-
densing apparatus for supplying fresh water.
AZ an evidence Of the rapidty with which she has
been completed would state that her keel was laid on
the 25th OF October 1901 and was rs applied on
the 3st OF December tho year. She was launched
on the 3Oth OF January and will proceed her trial trim
in about ton days sho will bo ready for active service
In about three weeks.
Tho following is table Of tho size Of the different por
tions Of the vessel
FtS. Iechcs.
Length Of upper vessel. se................., 172
Beam OF upper vessel. cl.................... II
Depth Of upper vessel. ................... s -