New-York daily tribune., 1863-12-30
THE SIEGE OF CHAaLEsT"N.
The Cause OF Delay in Opcraticns--Weif
Performed by the Tsemitors-itcw the
Diver. DO their Work.
Corre.popdcnco of Tie Baltimore American.
or NORRIS ISLAND. >. C.. Dec. ~, isoJ
THE DELAY IN OPERATIONS.

A. intimated in my last, we have settled
down here The expectation Of month of Two D"Te
OF inactivity The strike among the engineers 3t ne
Nortl which has DELAYED the completion OF the 0oni-
tors and deprived ron.c'd Leel OF reeniorcemeDts
which were expected here more than month SINCE
has lccn the primary eouse 81 the oein! ana :" Us coz
Tbe disaster 70 the weehawken and tie coming On
~ the Winter se1s0n with ~ constant s'ous Aas SID
further enforced this de.y Two months honee SprnS
viii DO wei advanced here Gnd with our ronciaf lorco
increased ~ three or iou. new monitors, we VIII DC pF@
pared % take advantage u tle heatmest Season aIH
most pie sant Part Of the yeir Let ls nope u 'Ibt
does NOS sga march us by one - ms famous rear
attacks that Charleston Wi ten fl ard ts lo-s,,.i'
ferne sOldors and sailors o. this army ana ,Iddrvt
reap Tue reward they have sel merited oi compel" a'
IN lie mean tine. II We cannot look for immediate
and decisive results here. 10 ereai disasters nee %
gppre ended GEN GillmOTes position IS imp sn6be,
ANA Admiral DlAlgre has sufficient lionci al ioree tp
lold t' roor up 10 Sumter The monitor le.iSL. ~
tie ime this reaches yct, VII have conpri'd W" ie
paIs rendered necessary by the he erhs sc
whom ayround end Capt Biyson. who always Ites !"
be- where there Is q chance ~ ng1i VII so"L H.'o
his vessel back 10 Charleston Ihe fp'-psoo IspI,;;
~tt.us ha also nearly completed hcf repairs ana WIZ
u orty relieve the Santuos t at arsl" sonna bc'h
the psapsco aud Lehgh have been prov "ed i'n .NEa
THE WORK OF THE MO, TORS
As IA evidence of the work done by the Mohnors L
have procured lrou Ensign H. hl0pp.l VINO na, large
of tho slot end shell division II lie Monitor fotApseo
transcript from MS record u. t-e eEpel ~ % sho',
that rt : Als been IN aery4oe mere.
Up to November II tie PataIso expenl'a ior hol 1-
pound ride A. ilus, t4o pOunds shot or a.g"tncf ~
tnns' Is1o pounds. or lf.sso pounds.
Expenditure .Ur l5.inch gun. uI;, T. ih pounds r
l.. .l3D pounds Of hot Expenditure o. powder TINS.
s. polIds or l. O1 POUNDS In TIE amount q powder
expended j. lucuded tie bursting cha 81 lie shcis.
H.. totl Of tlis expenditure amounts 10 p ns II
- 81 aud !. uns of powder pretty large amount It
must he admitted 20 be tired from one vessel carrying
ouly tTy guns The expenditure IL other monitors las
hu nearly quite iaI e As that Of tie - psco
1he LATER has been in = engagements anu has hen
struck over 400 times. WLate,or may be sad OF tie
monitors u must be admitted that Other vessels Yet
nre capable of enduring such amount oi
htum.Iing by heayy ordnance.
THE DIVERS.
Dnrlnc recent visit To Port ROYAL ritnosse1 with
interest the oge aions OF the dvcrs e-
,uysd tO clean the bottoms of tne monitors ard per
or %. operations under the water. Nesst5 Joseph
H. Smith md Jam.s Is. Phelphs have contra. WIN
IL Government for the Performance OF this wofh and
lave been OF great use here The principal dNcr-ap-
propTat,y named WatoTSs 80 usc' 70 this work that
hc as become almost ompAlDDus remaining ipf h'o or
six honrs at time unde. " w.e.. a msn e1 h.IeItan
strength aLd proportions, wien clad in his snDnariLe
aImOi hc becomes moistious III size and appearance
4 moe singular sight than t. Tee him lo Oh 'uA0a
into the water ard di'apper from sight or Iolra5 ,
blowing IS the air escapes from LIS helmet hst q
young whale, can scaIcey be magined. Waters las
his own Ideas of JOKE. when be has curious au-
Ju the water. with the air If ye.tGblc rN,f SEQ.
One Of his best Jokesthe better for being N,iItd"e
ict-OccuIred last Sumner. While lie was .mp'yed
orsning the Lull of OF the monitors negro from
)le of tho up river plantations. came alongside "h
loat.losd OF Water.melOns While busy ,elilnS MS
melon, the diver came up. and rested himself ~ va
,.dc Of the boat
Tie nero stared nj the ey,reordlnsiy appeegsroe
hus suddenly coming ont OF the water Wilh .i'noed
solGer, but VIXEN the JirsE seized one ca NO nest
melons in the boat, end d'sappearSu thuI tAV W"t,r
niiod laughter, tue flight Of tho negro reached a
u,0N. Hastily selzBs us cars without waiting 20 To
aid for his melons, lie put of at his best speed, and LIS
ot been in the vicinity Of Station Creek since lie
annot be tcup;ed beyond The bounds OF the pantaton
md believes that the Yankees have brought r'cr devils
% al them in making war.
Tie diver when clothed IN lis armOr IS weighted win
- pounds Beside bis armcr he hai two lrdlen PADS.
fins 10 HE breast and hack The soles oI his shoes
re of lead inch and Il half thick. All this weGho
needed 10 0Ytroone the baOyaIcy given D, tbe mass
i air forced into the alOr and dress, tue iatt'r oi W.
a. rubber worn by the diver. Whom below no suI-
ace Le can instantly bring himself ur by closing no.
n,nri, tho aperture In the helmet for the escape IL
he air His bloyancy Is immediately Increased, and
@ pops up like cork and floats u vii upon the surface.
he work Of scrapng tue bottoms q the monitors ~
cry srduoUs.
Ihe diver sits upon SPAR lasbei atlwaIt tie bottom
the vessel 50 arranged as TO be moved as the NorA
und with scraper f4cd 10 long han'J,s
ork, ON both sides of himself far as he can reach.
he mass Of Oystos that become attached 10 iho uou
ulls cf one Of the Monitors. during one SIMMER
ore Is immense. by actual measurcment IL wac estin
ted that 20 busos OF oysters shells and sea-~eed
fero taken from the bottom OF the Monank alone. Inc
aptains of the Monte have sometimes ndulssd.n ~
be novelty of mess Of oysters raised on The huls oS
beir own vessels.
Beside cleaning the Monitors tie divers perform
ther important services. They have ransuckcd me
ltcrior keckak attached boys 70 lost anchors.
nd made underwater examinations Of the Rebel OBJ
ruoi0ns. Waters recently examined the snnken Wee.
aW ken and met unusual danger for even hs porous
ahing. The sea was so violent that he WAS twice
lrop from the deck Of the monitor. Finally, settiBS
old of Ae iron ladder he climbed to the top of lhe tur
&C. when heavy sea cast hiIa inside the tdrret be-
aeen tho guns. Fearing that his ulr.hose would be-
ONE entanglod, he made his way out with III Nssibio
pecd ana forced TO give up his invest gato until
alreI weather offered more favorable opportunity.