The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-05-07
all the valuable machinery fron the Tredegsr Iron
Works at Richmond 70 somo point further south.


Oaf A'an-Eiads In Ja meg River.
ops NAVAL CORRESPONDENTS.
NEwPosr's Nsws, Va, May O. 1894.
Tho iron clad f,t is TO proceed up the river
Fighting is eagerly anticipated hoped for and she
feet is all ready for Immediate action.
The Tecunseh dropped anchor OF Fortress Monroe at
quarter TO Eve p NJ ON Thursday, April u, after a very
steady and successful OF ess than forty hours
from The anchorage inside OF Sandy Hook. On Friday
morning she again got under way rcross 70 New
ports News Point and TO anchor at the mouth
OF James river within sight Of the wreck Of the gallant
but H. lfated Congress- During the passage down Tho
coast she blessed with favorable weather ngh,
breezes and moderate sea prevailing throughout the
trip Tho engines and boilers worked smoothly and well,
appearing to give ento satisfaction tie able chief
gineer, Mr. Faron ani his corps Of assistant officers
The Monitor class Of iron clad s most
uncomfortable vessel for her in any kind Of work
outside OF smooth wator for Notwithstanding the iavor
able circumstances undor whcbs he n,ado the from
Now York the trip extremely unpleasant and trying
TO the ships company With all ncr stores aboard and
coal bunkers hled the deck Of vessel OF this descri
ton Is but foot eighteen inches above the water
Consequently while steaming ahead, every hatchway
and skylight must be bnitened down, tho
tinually overflow her decks dur such moderate
weather experienced. Thus all hands penned
mp within very close, warm quarters, below the
limo, with no egress from tho bowels Of their iron
home save by way OF the narrow ladders and
hatchvays Of tho turret. This OF itself. conse
quence Of absolute necessity has OF to DO borne
with best but unfortunately the deck, with Its
nine inches thickness OF oak and iron plating that
proved so extremely leaky as TO defy all attempts 10
stop tho streams Of water from rushing through The
officers showed praseworthy desire TO do everything in
their power to render The comfortable circum.
would admit the discomfort experienced by
the ships company may be imagined when state that
~ berth deck is less than twenty ave feet square the
clear that within its limits sixty seventy
have to cat, 1.-Two and sleep, and that during the
whole OF the passage the water continually stream
ing down upon thcm through leaks innumerable.
Doubtless the weight Of material used in constructing
these vessels puts great strain upon the deck tmbers
as they forge their way through the waters but most
decidedly plan should be adopted before laying
the deck plates to render their timbers somewhat less
eaky than sieve. Surely American mechanical genius
s sufficiently inventive TO devise for remcdying
this evi.
or Newports News were asso the irouclads Atlanta,
Roanoke and Onondass. These vessels with the Tecum-
seh form powerful fleet this classic battle field Tor
cads The numerous reports in circulation respect
Ing the intended operations Of the Richmond feet rebel
render strong force on this station an act OF
sound rtlicy not csselof absolute necessity. Fore
warned forsarmed. We needed no. the rumors relative
to the original MsrrmaO, and history has recorded in
bloody characters the fearful cost OF our neglect
strong force retained in the wators Of the James river
will cectually checkmate any rebel operations In this
quarter and be In position 10 operate with General
Grant in his contemplated movement for capturing the
rebel capital crushing out this dabocsl rebellion and
insuring final and glorious triumph to the national
cause.