The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-10-09

forthcaiions This reasoning seems rrefutabe 1t has
Notwithstanding, been iust shown to be erfoheous W
what has taken aco at Charleston where despite tns
silence OF Beau egarn Forts Sumter ana Ncutrie whol
| were believed to DC mpregnabe, have been dsmosnoo
| by tho Union feet
sailors Of tho fleet, enclosed in the turres oil TIE hoa's
batieries Infinitely better protected than tns uo
sniep 81 the forts On the Other the plating - ' =,
honits opposed greatly enectua Resistance W
pf0ectes than The malersis Of al kinds empoyeu oy
tho b-s!eged for the repar OF their works IL rs heo,s'
sary 70 Conclude, with ono OF the hdvessrios VI 'nc
foriihcltions OF Portsmouth, tn u would not DC
only unavoidable To casenate all the coast nat,er
but To all forts TO be erected Ia future with iron
plating along their whole extont This would be bless
ing Tor the iron ,sters and smiths and pretty long ac
Tor Nias,er OF Finance Thus the parsans OF
floating batteries now think that they have gained tnf
cause.
carly future may possibly deceive them. Therefore,
instead OF entering into discussion this question. We
ehnk useful TO establish the true terms OF tue
problem IN showing the latest advancement made by the
Americans In naval architecture. Let us cnmmence with
the Cnnedera.es The first attempt OF federal totla
TO force the passage OF the harbor OF Charleston was
a new cannoa---ihe Brooks gun-which is rlcd, and
throws projecte very long and terminating
with steel point. Many of thes Monitors which went
ahead of the fleet received such severe Injuries that the
fcderals rcfraued from continuing the struggle.
The success hllod the besieged with hope What did
they to achieve complete victory? The means OF
following up their advantages Merrimac s-med with
the Brooks cannon, would have been enough 'or the
whole federal feet they therefore ,mmeaa,ey oss ses
million of dollars. This magnificent three decker.
three hundred feet in its longest extent the upper deck
for the Of artillery, IN not more than two nnured
feet long forty feet wide The sides OF the vessel pre-
scented the inclination adopted by the English 10 the con-
strucon OF their ron.clad vessels me steam 10 ley
placed In the centre the magazines at the DOW
and stern. Her armor one foot in thickness sne
was built Of bars OF wrought iron, two inches tack
placed vertically; behind thse were other oars hrn,n
tally arranged Then four inches OF OAK and,
lastly inches theinost solid American pine. Her
portfolios also protected by additional covering
of and iron The armament CONSISTED CT Two
Brooks six-inch guns ron each side, and two Br okY
seven inch guns on pvos one at the Dow aud the otner
Tho Confederates did doubt instant that the
Atlanta thus armed would dispense the whole federal
feet she was therefore, provided with munitions Tor
long voyage and when she descended the pass OF War
in search Of her adversaries, she was accom-.
could not fail to make But the besierers their part
not idle for the check they received was lesson
for thcm AS soon as the Atlanta was perceived ~ tho
federal fleet, new Monitor the Wechawken, went out
to meet her Her dimensions were nothing TO those Of
the Atlanta she had but tower and carried only two
guns. but these fifteen inch cannon, throwing ball
OF four hundred and forty pounds duel took place
between the two contestants lasting nearly quarter
in all; the first shot Of four hundred and forty
pounds made hole 10 the plating ana -
coIa wounded by particles Of ron and wood the second
shot carried away Of her ports killing seventeen men,
the three following knocked away the top o. the pilot
house, the chimney and part OF Aer side tho Atlanta
being then in sinking condition, was compelled to strike
her o0lors.
Wo0OHWkcus
xplot in fifteen minutes is far from being the last
effort similar constructions Of the North. She Is
inferior to the Roanoke which has three turrets each
armed with two Hfteen-inch guns throwing four
hundred and forty pound shot The Roanoke has:
moreover, forward spur Of greater dimension and
Of greater power than ever has been tried before.
Her iron sheathlng is more solid than that OF the
weehawken, and her turrets are constructed
better and has made the trip from the port OF
New York to Hampton Roads (Which hss turned out 80
dsastrouslv TO OF the first Monitors) at rate Of
about ten knots hour.
Notwithstanding that the model of the Roanoke is
already Abandoned and that various incidents OF the
siege of Charleston have suggested various modcatons
that nine vessels that 10 have been
plan OF the Roanoke to be built upon al en-
tireiy different model One Of them Is nnshedthe Ca
nonicus. In her construction her builders have
tried to combine the impenerabillty Of the Moni.
tor class OF vessels with the destructive power OF
and proper sailing qualities The engines or the
Canonicus double the force ship OF her class
ahoat and will make regularly twelve knots an h0ur.
This speed win appear more astonishing when tho weight
OF her armament is borne 10 mind. All around
hull placed two plates OF iron two inches thick
sodly imbedded In the WOOD over which are two other
plates wrought iron six inches thick The armor OF
the Caoor then composed OF an iron coating OF
eleven inhes Independent OF the wood and the ships
side The made OF blocks OF iron foot thick
and the pilot OF blocks of ten inches thick the
smoke stack in blocks OF eight inches THICK She Is 2S7
feet length and 90 teet In Width, and carries
She like her predecessor Of the class with
fifteen inch Dahgren guns throwing proiectes OF four
hundred and forty pounds Az vessel ofwar she must
fOrnida able she constructed the plan deh
guns important their calbre and power and
weight OF metal Her is calculated 20 resist
proectes OF the most pondeous kind aud her guns are
OF the heaviest cast Now 1t remains TO DO seen
whether she is able to endure long voyage or 10
remain simply harbor vessel. Tho fundamental ques
tion is whether she will be it for ocean navigation