The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-07-03
Our Iron CIads.


SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF THE PURITAN-THE LAST
OF THE BIG MoEMoRS-rHE MONITOR SUN sINK.
ING TO RISE NO MoRE-DEsCRIPTIoN OF THE
ARMoRBD RAFT, Ero.
At eight O'Clock yesterday morning the big Monitor
battery Puritan launched from tho yard OF I. f.
Rowland, Continental Iron Works, Greenpoint, success
fully and without any extra force being applied to her
In fact going Of before all the were split out from
under her. During the interim between the first attempt
to launch her and the successful Issue OF yesterday only
the sliding ways have been removed and fresh ubricat.
ing material applied proving assertion time
persons who knew nothing about launching had minded
their own legitimate business, and allowed those
who understood the science launching to attend to
theirs, che would have been launched at that time.
Aiss GREGORY, the dsughter Of Admiral Gregory ohrs
tened the vessel she gded o she ways saying the
name Of Neptune christsn thee Puritan.' Tho num-
bss OF spectators present hros, ewing 70 the
sasy hour and the promise of rsin we ~ ~ decline
Of Interest IN any t.s Sonnsctsd with ne Nenp In
fact the American public S,oysa whh sven nams
Of Monitor .s 10 every class of society they tel thai
they are paying dcar!y for these Swedish whistles
Tho Puritan Ia called irou-clad, ard, although
built according 70 the plans Of DICTATOR s larger
4 hns sxpscs as Is PIC & u
Inc hull and frame are constructed OF ron The
shef, or "oyerhaug, extends outside OF the hull four
feet and eleven inches s sis feet IN depth and when
Inc yesscI las her armamen, on board the water line
will be above the centre Of ihe shelf leaving two or
afmof ABOVE Nhtef ana turcc vi
below. 1be hull 10 FOL med of anglo iron covered Win
oneinc plates; above u the arrnor sheH the whole
forming the most impenerable covering ever placed on
fho armcr OF the Puritan comprises the outside Of
shelf plates Of iron then there are fry
inches OF oak backing, and the inside sevcn-
erhths plate OF iron Plates four and bali o. nvo
inches thickness set into the oak backing from
above the point which VIII be she water line OF the
Puritan.
Her deck twelve inches thick laid beams eighteen
inches square covered with two plates OF armor eacn
thr quarters inch ,hick. This 10 the heaviess
plating yet given the decks gf OF our Iron vessels
The largest part OF her machinery, with the exception
OF her boilers Ia already In Two engines each having
cylinder OF hundred inches u diameter and six iees
stroke OF piston. will bo employed 10 drive the pro-
peller which IN twenty two feet and half In diameter
Puritan will have six boilers, which ought 10 give
her n immense steam power.
and Is solid aoeu her bow. Sne has also ram
at her stern, winch mol 50 sharp. This Is solid Ten
feet AT. ,,.r ~,
she has cspacty to carry thousand tons Of coal,
which poUo1 neparae water tight tanks These
are 60 arranged Mat they be nled With water, a.
the consumed TO Keep the vessel low In the waier
II h expected that she viii consume one hundred tons OF
Work has been commenced her two turrets. They
viii be arranged for four guns which will be OF thirteen
inch caibre They are OF Ericssons design, maas of
wrought iron. IL 10 claimed that they the most pow
errul guns made-anothcr statement which remains
10 be proved by actual test :.
IL will probably be year before the Puritan can Do
placed commission, should she be fnshed 70
the deslps IL 10 understood THAI the govornnent is 70
vessel Of Mr. Ericsson IN her present state
and make important improv cmcnts.
The construction OF this vessel commenced N 1861,
and abe doubt the last OF her class kind which
will ever be constructed 70 tins the Navy Depart.
mept built some sesgoing ironclsds As yes our IRON
clad navy OF, with one exception, large nsst
miserable aTmorod RATS