Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1863-11-05
RATES OF ADVERTISING
Tas English iron Rams ns-Their Arna
TuC7it
men.

citizen s,f Provide nce. kInde Island, wuc
has JUST returned tron England, communicates
20 tie ,Jopsna!, OF that place, the following des
.scrpton OF the rams III tbs Mersey
~ sE1A Chrnas advice Of last week we are IN
+ora,rd hat the two steam r#ms FROM the
Mss>rs Lard ship ,aro. the Mersej. (tD
p0siIe Lgvrrpu"i,3 Are n. 70 b. allowed t" 7.i
tor their dastina,lo,. IN the service Of the
caliedl Confederate Sates. The first of ia e
vessels vas launched on The 4 OF Jolly last
and must be at tbs line m readiEess for ser
wee The other iaft tn stocks Saturday.
August 90 The ship yard was apened to the
pu,:ir, AID from thus circumstances an opp"rth-
hs;y <aS IF rdad h,r examination of these
in1 - at;,:- vessels, which otherwise would not
asva been ailnHed.
IN cnmp~ny With ar Intelligent a0d expert
snaed n s. MASTER, we crossed tho I:nn-nere
Fer. AND arrived at the yard a, lo1 a. m.-
Ta- ram on the sticks was of the san'e dlmen-
s..,s $ tae one previously built. lu length q
h.ut $50 feet; forty feet bear; and t~sGty
feet depth Of nod, near as e"d be Judged
b. the eve The stem Is of oiled IRON, about
SIX or eight inches tnlrk and twelve ht'err
WIDE The bottoIn Is fat. with slight kee:,
AMI the screw a, usual, but protected IN tae
contormst,on Of the stern. The ram ls a pr
lection of solid steel OF the same thickness as
the stem, and fretn six eight fee; beyond tp'-
perpendicular tne, resembling more nearly "n
inverted ross. W aan the vessel floats, tins fox
mdable appeadaga IS below the water line,
and invisible.
As the clock struck l l the last block was
knocked from under. ard the vessel moved
steadily and gracefully into the water. The
English ensign was aj ing rom a. spar at the
stern post and as the hu lef the shed the
Frenc1 coiors we're raise he stern. Ihe
momentum acquired carr 81 zee vessel aearly
across tie Mersey where sas taken in tow
by steam tugs and broaght INTO dock, beside
the first hult. There wef several Iaii@s and
gentlemen on the launch friends "' the huiiders
and doubtless many repre< enta'i - "f the so
called Con fede-acy," cs,'zens and npatbizers.
The other ram had her iron fnasts, sFars anc
riggng in place. The mssts tubu.ar and
tbe topma- ts intended /" be enclosed spy
sass. The fore castle and poop deck are OF
boiler iron asd ere caical lated and arranged tor
being shot away In action.
The oulwarks are hung with heavy strap
hinges, intended To be lowered In action, as
to give clean, flush decks, and to facilitate the
boarding of an adversary. There two tur
rets or towers about twenty feet in diameter
aud ten ia height They placed partly a
bove and below decks, are pierced for two
heavy guns each, entered below de ks Through
six man holes they buIt OF very heavy
boiler iron on The outside aud inside, and TO be |
aIled in with a foots thickness Of wood, or some
nore resisting material. Tneg yevoive Or |
twenty four wheels. (smhar tn the small
Wheels of ioconl olive, Taj,ating from CEN
Ire, on axels Of wrought iron, t. the circle Of
the diameter of the turret-. The top of the tur-1
fss and deck is protected by thick iron. One
OF them is IN the rear of tee faremasE, the other
Of the na,na,ast Between the forward turret |
snd smoke fnnael is the pilot house, OF an oc-
'sganai form, (:f as the model of wood IL place
pierced With small sight holes, and over look
ing tie surrets. Er +
Woat the arrange mants may be tor directing
ne movements of the vessel was not ascertaln- +
3D. as Eo one except worknen were allowed on
board, and the snafl slze of the pilot house
Seaid hardly adult of Wheel in it. Each yes
'ei has powerful engine Of between 300 and T
NO horse power. The hull Of the ram pearest
soaipletion is 6rst Of heavy isoa,s one inch in
hiekness, then planki0g OF teak wood nine