Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-01-30
Irsn-CIad steam 'Battery HRoanoke.y

IFsn-Clad Steam Battery ROanOke.D
As we possess facilities for gaining ae-
cess to the iron-clads now building, says
the Scientific American, we availed our
selves Of them recently to inspect the pro-
gress of the work going forward on the
Roanoke. We betray no confidence when
we publish the following particulars =
The Roanoke is st present entirely covered
from stem to stern with canvass awning,
so that the men employed are sheltered
from the weather. There are to be three
iurrets, which are being put in position as
fast as possible; two of them Zone forward
and the other amidships) have their first
course well on. The deck plates are all
laid, and are three-fourths Of an inch
thick, placed one upon the other, so as to
break joint where the edges meet The
joints come very neatly together, q small
space being purposely left for expansion
and the natural working of the ship;
the plates are secured by heavy
counter-sunk bolts to the deck beneath.
The armor plates are all on, and very
intelligent workman assured US that he
would soon have the outside of the Roam
oke completed The boiler makers are
busy putting up the smoke-pipe breeching
on the steam chimney of the boilers, one
being common to all. There will be a
heavy grating over the hatch which sur
rounds the smoke-pipe where it issues
from the deck, made of wrought iron, one
inch thick by seven inches deep; projec-
tiles striking this would glance off with
out injury to the ship; were it not for
this protection they might damage the
boilers.
Below deck we see on every side evi-
dences of the immense strength of the hull,
so far as heavy timbers go. Affixed to
the ceiling of the main deck are circles of
oak timbers nearly twelve inches square
these are supported at regular intervals
by stanchions of the same dimensions
These circles strengthen that part of the
main deck over which the turrets are
placed. Eeacb turret shaft sets in an
immense cast-iron step, provided with
q wrought-iron key and composition seat
for the same on its lower surface; from
the top of this stem runs two strong
braces to the lower part of the turret shell.
When the key is driven, the ways on which
the turret reTolves are relieved of portion
of the superintendent weight The en-
Rlutc WHICH luuN6 AAc AAIAGH dEb hAAECIly
underneath it; they are double, oscilla-
ting, and have bore Of l6 inches in their
cylinders, and stroke of p inches on
the piston.
The main engines are the trunk pattern,
with cylinders Of so inches diameter,
and about sc to AZ inches stroke of the
pistons as the trunks are, as near as we
can guess, about SO inches in diameter
There are four Martins boilers, also
large donkey boiler for driving the auTili-
airy engines while the main boilers are out
of service. There are four blowing en-
gines which ventilate the vessel thorough
ly, conduits being laid through the vessel,
which are tapped at intervals with
branches leading to the state-rooms; in
the latter are registers by which the in
mates can at all times purify the cir.
On every side we see evidences of
strength, and the best powers Of resistance
that can be afforded by the thickness of the
armor which is employed. Although the
Roanoke has the Erricson revolving turret,
her hull is the same as that of any sea-go-
ing vessel, with the exception of the armor.
There are no guards to the vessel; and
seas which may strike her can wash over
without injury, except in extraordinary
cases. That portion of the rudder-post
which is usually exposed in vessels is COW
cred in the Roanoke by a strong wrought
iron hood, which also protects the screw
from injury by shot.
At the time of our visit, an officer from
one of the English gunboats called at the
Novelty Works and requested permission
to visit the battery he was very politely
accorded an opportunity to view the same
outwardly, but was denied admission.
These particulars do not relate to any vi
tai points in the Roanoke which could re-
suit in embarrassment to the Government
in future; they contain no information
which would be of the slightest advantage
TO our enemies.