The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-09-17
English Ir on CIads for the Rebels.

English Ir n-Clads for the Rebels.
From passenger by the steamship Scotia who
enjoyed peculiarly favorable facilities for becom
ing familiar with the facts, we learn that the An
glo-Rebel lron-CladS are being pushed forward to
completion with the utmost vigor. Two 1000
ton IRON clads, combining the ram and monitor
principles, are being built by Laird at Brkenhead
One OF these is already launched. They are
plated with four-inch iron; each carry two tur-
rets, II inches thick, and have formidable rams
projecting from their stems. Each turret will
carry two 200'pounder rfed guns, and each ves-
sci Will be armed 10 addition with two 1OO.pound-
er stern chasers. The guns were ready at Pres
ton, Lancashire, and would be shipped and put
on board III the Irish Channel. The ram which
was launched was expected to sail within four
days after the Scotia left, and the second would
be launched by the time the first sailed The
destination OF these powerful vessels was reported
to be the United States but nothing definite was
known on the subject.
In order to facilitate their speedy completion.
work was kept up on them day and night, several
CAMS being employed to relieve each other
throughout the twenty-four hours. We are in
clined to doubt the statement that either of these
rams will he ready to sail as soon as was expect
ing the progress on the first ram, states that when
he last saw her, j3st before leaving Liverpool, her
smoke stack was up, one turret on deck ready to
pat IN place, and the other about to be begun
Now here, where We are supposed to understand
these matters pretty thoroughly, it takes several
weeks to set up the turrets, and then the work of
During the ports, fitting the shutters, and other
operations consume a good deal of time 1t IS !
evident that no expense was being spared to push
forward the WORK. Sinclair and Maury of the
rebel navy were daily 10 Laird's yard, inspecting
the progress OF the vessels, aud urging the build
ers forward.
Ram No. was launched under the French |
flag, permission for that purpose being given by |
the French Consul at Liverpool. And what is |
more, the craft still flew the tr-colors when our
informant left. The destination of these vessels
is we'll known to the British Government. Our
agents have closely followed them from the be.
ginning, and che evidence accumulated of their
contraband character has all been laid before the
ministry. Yet thus far, no effort has been made
TO restrain them from sailing.
But these are not all the offensive preparations
now In progress against US in "neutral" Great
Britain. A large iron clad sloop of war is well
under way in the yard ETA Liverpool ship builder
whose name our informant had forgotten, and
five Others of very formidable character are in
course of construction ON the Clyde. One of
these, now building by James & George Thom-
son, over 1000 tons burden, will have four or
five inches of iron plating upon IS inches teak
She will not, however, be ready to sail for some
On the day before the Scotia sailed the captain
OF Ram No. ! was heard to state at the Adelphi
Hotel, Liverpool, that he would command that
vessel. He remarked in conversation that he
Was Southerner and rebel but more discreet
than MauVy and Sinclair, he refrained from going
near the iron cadS, so as 10 avoid bringing sus.
plclon upon their destination. Public opinion in
Liverpool appeared to have been settled down to
this point that the neutrality laws of England
had been evaded long enough, and it was time
that the farce come to an end. The merchants [
and public men had come to the conclusion that ;
unless the Government interferred to stop these ,
pirates from sailing, very grave complications
would arise between Great Britain and the
United States, which, it was by no means impro-
1able, would eliminate in open hostites.-
w neither their opinion is founded on fact, only
he result can determine. IN. Y Tribune. {
THE THREE GREAT NAvIEs.-In view of the =
~ IS, e.