Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-01-10
THE GREAT MISSISSIPPI EXPEDITION.


. which the most impornt consequence,
will ensue to the cause of the Uuion. hs
$ been conducted on scale so gigantic an
r includes so many adjuncts Of strength an
3. efficiency, as almost to make success a.
assurance. The fleet has been prepare,
: at Cairo and St. Louis. The number O
. gunhoats is twelve-each carrying lineer
1 euns-gve 68 pound coumbiads at eacI
, side, three rihed guns at the bow, anc
, two at the stern. The guns aud gunner
J are protected by strong casemates. Tn,
contract orthese boats provided that the,
were to be 10 feet in length. 81 feet c
inches beam, and when loaded to draw
. feet. Each was to have two engine.
and five boilers-cylinders twenty-five
inches. with six feet stroke wheel of
wrought iron, to be placed near the stern.
like ferry boat, so as to be as little ex.
posed possible. All the machinery was
to be so placed as to be under water :
! the boats TO have an average of 65O tons,
to be fiat 5ottomed and constructed of
the heaviest and best oak timber: the
sides covered with plates of the best
charcoal iron, two and half inches in
thickness, and securely bolted together
and to the woodwork within. The sides
were TO incline at an angle of 40 degrees.
50 as to turn, or "sIance off" missile.
the bottom to have the same inclination
towards the keel. A correspondent Of
the New York Times says that so conf
dent are some naval officers in the strength
of the Cunboa,s that several of them
have offered to take the Benton and lay
her under The batteries of Columbus, con.
fident that her immense strength will re-
sist the heaviest metal in the possession (
OF the Confederates. The plates upon
the gunbOats were submitted to severe
tests. and evinced almost fabulous irwin.
cibiIity. Heavy rined shots were fred
at them at distance of only one hun
lred and sixty yards, and in every case
they were only slightly indented, or else
they shivered the shots into innumerable
fragments, OF turned them har.nlessly
aside.
Twenty-eigbt tugs and STEAMBOATS, and
mortar boats were also con.
racfed for. They are heavily built Of
imber, with the sides of boiler iron loop I
I'd for musketry, and each will carry r
monster mortar-the heaviest that have 9
'een used in siege operations. These 5
'oats are so constructed that they can be I
ormed as bridges. The tug boats are /
lso strongly built, and will be used to c
DIV the mortar boats into position The o
otiIIa, and also guta percha pontoon ,
-ain Of boats, have been sent to Cairo g
The magnitude of the preparation,
lay TO some extent be inferred when il st
known that the salaries Of the officers of
Zach the amount Of 100000 per month II
TAT 100000 bnshees Of coal have been OF
ontracted for and is on its way thther in
that 500 tons of powder have been U
mt to Cairo, and other war materials L
lyonG all computation. pl
Flag officer, A. II. Foote, who has 81
zen the leading spirit in the preparation Of
this expedltionary feet is a native of m
and has seen service in "
hna, and has received the highest credit be
r his galIantry. Even the redoubted WI
ollins has comp!imented him on his tu
rpassng ability as naval commander. th
is associates in command are all men Tie
professional mark. co
There is nothing very certainly known 'n'
to where the first blow struck by this co
ries Of floating fortifcations will fall cI'
Memphis, and other points of y
tack, are speculated upon But visit "'
ay be paid 10 the Cumberland or Ten. c'I
,>see Rivers. But Columbus is gene ac
lily expected to be the grand point Of 50
tack, as it can be assaulted in front and wa
ar, and its fifty thousand rebels placed 'h'
a peril in whence they can hardly es- 10
pc Boston Journal all
ito
pp