The New York herald., 1863-10-15

1t will be observed that the most important' difference
between the power Of the first Monitors Manhat-
tan consists in the armor and armament-the offensive
and defensive attributes. Instead OF four and hall
inches Of iron, have nine inches and instead Of one
eleven and nfeep-inch gun, the Manhattan VIII have
two thirteennch guns which, however. will be able to
burn more powder than the old Hfeen-inch guns II
was unavoidable, when adding additional weight Of aror
to the ship, to make the draft Of water light the
Monitor, If thas desirable which is matter
not decided One Of the pecuarities OF the Aanha
tan is that she has sponsons which tighten tho frame
the vessel, as II were. In the original Monitor
this sponsor left out, and the conse
quence that the overhang was said
TO have been the Of the loss OF that celebrated
little vessel. Captain Ericsson believe II to have
been So but in order 10 comply with the wishes Of
majority Of the people at Washington, he introduced
this sponson which counerncts tho influence of the
hsps great measure and makes the vessel more CON-
pact Tho machinery for working the guns in the turret
will be preserved, ahhough the 1Sjnch guns do not re-
qurc half tho care the 1bnch d4 i s worth rema1k
ing that the English employ something nSe hfseen or
sixteen men to work the Armstrong gun, thr. wing
much lighter ball than our lb-nch gum while We can
work the l5nch gun win four men, owing 70 the spet
dd mechanical fac s 10 the turret The accident that
happened to one me Monitors during Dupouts attack no
charleston watch resulted in the temporary Gripping Of
We tnrr cannot happen the Manhattan because an
immense band OF iron. several inches thick perfectly
solid and massive the whole externak base Of the
turret rendering It absolutely impossible for suy shot
shel pierce It, This win insure the freedom Of tho
turret far its revolving power consists, from being
prevented BY enemys shot. The ventilation Of the
Monitors has been slhect Of great interest and the
Navy Department, as web as lie officers. have give Il
great amount Of attention. In the original Monitor when
tho hatch was closed down and tho ship in battle trm
the air very foul aud IL even difficult to exist
In the Passac batch Of vessels the much better
and indeed many though, that As good as II need
be. Recently, however, improvements have been
made md the ventilation Of the entire ship
is good that Of 150 limo OF battle ship with all
her ports open The invention which gives this advan.
tageous result s due to Mr.. Sinners the wind pipes
underneath thc deck and branch of to the ocers ward
room forcing continuous current OF air through the
vessel that 10 rendered s and comfortable in the
yarmcs climate: The propeller IS dfi BY two power
fu engines With cylinders forty inches In diameter and
twenty eight inches stroke Of piston It will b6 observed
that the speed OF tho Manhattan will, u the natural
course Of things DO much creator than that Of tho org
nal Monitors the dimensions Of her cylinders are near
y ten inches greater than those oil the other shps This
Of the most important requirements Of ironclad
vessel, particularly OF presenting such unusual
not been able to make as many knots expected;
but il hoped tho batch will do better The
vice speed Of the Manhattan knots hour at
nearly double that OF her sister Monitors In still less
important matters there points OF difference.
In keeping the anchor for instance arrangement BY
which two holes placed each side OF tho bow,
while in the other Monitors directly in the centre.
The head between decks is also greater than in the
other Monitors The officers and on the same
floor, the fcnrcr in the forward and the latter in
| the aft Of tho vessel. Thoy number seventy Ave
| men, The berth deck contains sixteen state
rooms. In fastening the armor r:vets ere substituted
| for bolts, the latter give way and ny about when
struck by heavy projecties in engagement. In
| tho arrangement OF the machinery the and crcu
atu pumps and the surface condcnsers independent
Of the main engines and Thus be operated when tho
main engines arc standing still, maintaining constantly
vacuum and being able TO keep up the condemnation
stcam, instead Of blowing It oil into the atmosphere
which every naval officer will appreciate because it has
boon one of the most nolcrabe annoyances OF the
trontcn Of steam in the navy that when orders were
given the deck the blowing o. the steam rendered
them inaudble, and It could not be sienced without
| danger Of being blown up.
The following is the class Of vessels to which the Msa
| haitian belongs
II