New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-12-08

mncb NOV; bssvily armed Ten of these Of the class
Of the Illinois the Gnerriere and the Java have COW
erred uun.decks and will carry twenty heavy guns.
Two viii have a plating Of thin iron as a proiectloh
from shells The remaining ten Of the class oil the
Contoocook and Mantle building IN the nayy.yafHh;
are of less size but with equal machinery ana
for greater speed. AS all Of them will be provided VIII"
masts ard sails, they can be cruising vessels ana nseu
foreign stations
STEAM MACHINERY.
AZ our navy has become not only exclusively steam
payv but very large one, with an enormous con
sumption Of coal and great expenditure for the CON
stInct,oh and repair OF machinery becomes mhler
of The rss consequence that only the best machinery
be obtained for it, This problem Is one OF very or
fcult costly and Glow solution. The great maritime
countries of England and France have not yet solved
IT, either in The commercial OF war marine aud 1T tins
hour the best authorities 40 not agree upon IT, ~
many conditions enter into the problem that as prom
is given less TO ono or the other dneien
conclusions are reached IL is evident that MS we
question is purely practical one, i can Only pe
answered by extensive experience and accurate OBJ
seryatOns Mindful Of tie Importance OF this matter
the department notwithstanding tie great pressure
upon its resources by the war has kept II in view ana
promoted by every means the acquisition OF ire naces-
varied SS{ VIVA view to deteras the relative develop
men II speed in proportion 20 given power; nachintr!
has been CONSTRUCTED upon different ypes and systems
and the department has encouraged all oheTt rom
citizens well as from its own officers 10 buld ne"
machinery that gave promise Of Improvement Ibe
navy al this moment contains marine machinery on On
extensive scale Of every kind their results are In us
log books from which can be determined their various
merits both for general service and Tor particular ay
In The new screw gunboats machinery has been used
designed hy Corless OF Providence K. l. j. Ericsson
Of Nev.York; William Wright, Of Woodruff Beach's
establishment AZ Hartford: Merrick Sous Of Phliade
pNia, and the Bureau OF Steam Engineering OF the de
pGrtnent. This was competitive machinery 10 Do OF
equal power propeiling the same hull
In tie double bowed padde-wheel steamers machinery
has been employed designed by Mcrriek Sons Of Phi.
adelpha; by T. N. DckeIson. and by the Bureau OF
Steam Engineering
In the large scops.of.war. Of 1900 tuns and over,
competitive machinery is being placed by the above
parties, and by J. Ericsson
In tie rieaes and soops Of the old navy and in some
OF tkse built during the early part OF the present sd
Einsiration, machinery Was employed designed ~
most Of the principal establishments IN the countrs
The Fulton Iron Works and Morgan Iron Works Of
New York; Nessrs. Woodruff a. Beach Of Hartford,
Connecticut; Harrison Loring ard the Atlantic Works
Of Boston; Merrick Sons of Philadelphia the Vulcan
Works OF Baltimore, and the. Bureau of Steam Engi'
neering.
In these vessels nearly every variety and type Of en-
CINE, Of valve gear Of rate OF expansion Of surface
condenser Of scT0w propeller and Of boilers have been
thoroughly tested ba, The results thus far show that
the machinery designed by the Steam Engineering bl'
reau Of tie s1e-en, has not been surpassed. perhaps
nv sq1aled BY any OF its competitors, WINE IN nan!
IL its iron cads the department las eypcfmcnted Dy
the construction of different classes and sizes both IN
wood and iron, propelled by one screw ana BY Two
most recent constructions, Of the MaEfonomah Glass;
wooden vessel designed by the naval Constructors and
bni, at the nsvy yardt with Ericsson urrei- ana ma
chinory desaged BY the Bureau Q steam Enc neerrr,
high rate Of speed Seriect ventaiion iinMesnsbiiy
and tie enormous lYkcry of four IS inch guns nave
been combined in vessel Of THE moderate s9e Of 100
trns drawing only twelve feet of water These vesses
are free from the disadvantage Of fOung, which so
greatly reduces the speed Of iron ones;
Others Of this type, bat OF increased unnngc are IN
process OF construction TO have still higher speed ana
be adapted 10 coast service.
In tie steamers bought from the commercial marine
Of tie courr! I'D in tie captured blockade r1pneis,
now adapted for naval service are 10 DO found every
variety 0. machinery. both screw and raddle.wheel.
constructed either in this country or Great Britain ~
far as the eXlgenees "f the war would permit, Inc
different types OF machinery have been submitted 10
careful experiment TO ascertain their relative merits
Nearly every variety Of boiler and ~ expansive gear
of rate of expansion .ud Of saturated ana snprheed
steam has been made the sal Jet OF accurate exeri
meY and il is believed that the files Of The department
contain the latest and most reliable Information on
these subjects chief engineer Of the navy has been
sent 20 Europe 10 collect information these topics in
addition To The published accounts ana Official reports
Nearly all the kinds Of Goals OF the seGboard States
have been the subject OF careful experiment with view
10 ascertain their comparative value for naval purpoes
A board OF engineers has also experimented WIN pc
troloum az a substitute FOR coal in naval steamers.
Az opinion appears have settled upon the horizontal
and the vertical tubular boilers the only proper
naval service the department has had one of each
kind manufactured, according 10 designs fnfnirhed o
a board Of nine engineers employed Ill the principal
private steam engine manufacturing establishments OF
the country and by the Bureau Of Steam Engineering
the purpose OF accurate experiments
their respective merits These experiments VIII be Of
the most elaborate nature md will IL Ia presumed ens
be a choice to be made. They are now IN progress.
A commission OF nine. practical engineering ~
been appointed hy the department. consisting OF rec
from the Academy OF Science three from the lrankn
Institute and three on the part Of the depsItneh'-al
eminent physical scencco devise the proper nppa
ra'us and make the necessary experiments Herewith
to ascertain by practical results the economy OF using
steam wsh different degrees Of expansion These eH
periinents which in progress will he as elab
| md nnru,,l IL
And under the practical conditions OF steam engineer
ing is believed they will ndisputaby set nj r"'i The
amount Of gain TO be obtained from using steam win
different measures Of expansion and also determine the
relative merits Of different Kinds OF valve gear steam
pressure, &c, beside settling many incidental ques'
tOls ot grent importance.
Nothing hns been eft undone in the way o. ascertain
ing end putting In all valuable Improvements IN
steam machinery, and no occasion neglected Of expert.
mentally determining the data necessary Tor correct
opinion.
The competitive engines ard boilers now under
stlucton aid trial. viii furnish information which will
be VI great public utility.
HAvY-YAhD FOR IRON VI 5HIs AND MACHINERY.
The introduction OF steam amotiye power for naval
Vessels ~ caIslug revolution In inailtiire warfare
which the abcst Dds hav" long predicted would De the
result tins ageno bat which + nOt yet 10 lis festeX'
tent appreciated. 1t changes The whole character OF
blockade md in future wars II VIII DC found thd Few
fast p!ivaecrs by steam will harass or annhilate the
commerce ofthe most powerful belgereni nations
Our country has been compelled by this civil war TO
take the initistNe IN OrRbIZinHh Ntst si' Hay WIN
which TO establish and enforce the blockade Of our Whole
coast from the Chesapeake Bay 10 the Rio Gr,nde; and
also 10 suppress the depredsops % semi prntcal pr
yatecrs built by skilled English mechanics In English
ship.yards ard manned by Englishmen which, under
the Rebel fag have rOveu the ocean, destroying our
merchant shipping. and have found refuge and supplies
in English aad neutral ports
When hostities commenced. our Government had
provided no suitable nnvyyard with mschine shops ana
boundaries 10 manufacture the Necessary macbiley Tor
gu, rapidly increasing and expanding navy but The
department was compelled 10 rely on the few private
e,tablishments which il could divert from other en-