The Portland daily press., 1863-12-05
The Lawrence Iron Works.

But few Of our readers are aware OF the ex
tent and importance to the city, of an enter
prize recently put in operation by Mr. Geo.
w. Lawrence, one of our most energetic and
persevering citizens and experienced ship
builders.
The Lawrence Iron Works and Ship Yard
is near the Western extremity of the city, in
the neighborhood Of the Boston Depot. The
ship yard occupies an area of two acres, in
which are already erected machine, black
smiths and carpenters shops, besides the build
ing for Ship house and Iron Works, which is
PAS feet long, 65 feet wide and about 90 feet
high The ship house and other buildings
with shop tools and machinery for building
Iron Clads, have been constructed since the
18th of September, which is an indication Of
what Yankee perseverance and industry can
accomplish.
This ship yard and Iron Works have facilities
for getting out two ships year of the largest
size, with all the most approved machinery for
building Iron Clads. Mr.. Lawrence has al
ready commenced building an Iron Clad Mon
itor, to be called the "Wassuc." 1t will be
225 feet long, As feet wide and Of about 1000
tons burthen. The hull properis to be entirely
of iron, the frame Of angle iron weighing
some three hundred pounds each and the
sheets of iron about 500 pounds, half an inch
in thickness. The keel is already stretched and
progress is being made in setting up the
frames. The hull proper is to be surrounded
with water tight compartments about two
feet, which can be filed and discharged at
pleasure, answering the double purpose of
trimming the vessel and rendering her i'm
pregnable. Outside Of this will be heavy
armor with backing of solid oak Of about
four feet, which will render her one of the
most formidable war vessels afloat.
The "Wassuc" is to be surmounted with a
turret for guns of the heaviest calibre, which
will be constructed on the most approved
plan with all the improvements suggested by
two years experience in the use of this kind
of boats. She is calculated for safe boat
and is built in reference to the fact that all
our gunboats intended for actual service must
be invulnerable against the shot of the enemy
and yet capable of being managed as easily
as any other vessel, so that they may be used
for the protection of our extensive seacoast.
The "Wassuc" is to be propelled by two
powerful engines and will have on board
ten engines for auxiliary purposes, all
of which will be built in this city under the
supervision Of Mr.. Lawrence. Every pro-
vision will be made for the comfort and con-
venience of the officers and men, in the con-
struction and finishing the cabins and other
apartments. The entire construction of this
boat and machinery is TO be under the general
supervision of Emerson Ames, Esq, Engineer
in the United States Navy.
Mr.. Lawrence has obtained the most i'm
proved machinery for building iron clads, in
tending to make it a permanent business. A
gentleman who has visited nearly all the es-
Of the kind expresses the opin-
ion, that every facility is afforded here that can
be found in Massachusetts or New York for
the business. Taking into account the fact
that the building Of each of these iron clads
brings into our city hundreds of thousands of
dollars, giving employment to three hundred
men in its different departments, it is expec-
ted that every Portland man will aid Mr.
Lawrence what he can, in securing these con-
tracts. II the Government money must be
expended in enterprises of this kind, there is
no reason why Maine should not receive her
proper proportion Of it, SO long as the work
can be done as well and as cheap here as else