New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-07-22
Our Iren-CInd Nayy-The Dunderberg.

While Mr.. Ericsson, and the Government,
under his inspiration Gro turning out vessels which
every days aided experience shows are mere likely to
carry our flag rlow the surfare Of the deep than bear
aoft on its crested wayo other inventors have not
been idle nor have interutted their endeayors b pro-
vide Us with ships which while nvnlnorabc to attack
shall -t be ab both to fight and foat and tnat these
days Of iron arnor aud heavy cannon sIal eaT,ssy
fauut on every cs the flag under when 'oIe'' f'''
and Lawrence fought and conquered.
Among these experiments none have t-Sen more
practical form ald afford better prospect on suoctss
than the DunterbeIg. which is now bllluihg IN VIZ
ship-yard ~ W. II. Webb ESQ., nj the corner OF SIKH
street and Fast River This gentleman. VINO Dears
gh reputation an inventive and skiliui ship buIer
has already beei successfully engaged IN liohsha
building, having recently cons r't9ted Two nonc
frgates for the Italian Government one Of when the
Re d. italia the very frs ron-clad to cross tue Atsn
tie after most successful trip. IN which her Sea gong
qualities were thoroughly tested and proved e9uai -
those Of the crack sars In the navy IS now 10
the service Of hG government In the Mediterranean
Recent events have emphatioalY sustained the sOuno
ness Of the principles long since iaid down ,y 1--we,
officers. both In this country and Euroe. that specu
and weigh, Of armament ere equally as essential r. in-
yuDorability, which the English experiments nj shoe
buvness ard o,r own experience IN the attack Fort
Sumter have fly proved is practically unattalnahle NJ
least against lJnch guns and Armstrong 600 poundert
To meet both ttese requirements has been MI WeDOs
object in laying down the plans tor the Dunderberg 10
Which extreme length ot 3I feet and width OF I'll
feet give displacement of over 1000 tuns floating
power which. when loaded with engines. boilers, ~
heavy guns, 900 tuns OF coal, 1000 tuns Of armOr
plat6a and In full fighting TRIM viii still leave the Dun
de berg OF The most buoyant vessels in the Navy.
While taking dae care that tho Dunderberg should be
safe in u heavy and resistless In attacs Mr. Webb
has BY no means ost sight OF the necessity on Offering
the utmost resistance to hostile shot and shell. For
this end Mr. Webb has combined the Advantages OF.
sercd by presenting angular srrface to IN eNemys
fire with the protective powers OF ~ nch SOHO armor
plates The sides 81 tho upper or fighting deck make
a .r.,a of ahout
aud meet the hui, which slopes upward and outward
n, an obuse angle Of about 100 degrees, which II is ex
pectei will be sufficient to throw of the shot, which
viii have opportunity Of striking point blank:
AS stated before the extreme length OF the Dunder
berg 81 feet and her extreme Width II feet but this
includes about ~ feet Of oyerhang at tho stern u pro
toc the rudder and propeller and solid ram projecting
10 feet from the stem under the water line Tor running
down antagonist The extreme length OI deck Is 81
feet OF which than twothrds Is occupied BY the
fighting deck feet high On The Top Ol TINS DSut
Ing deck are two turrcts aud the smokesack each OF
The turrets mounting two IL inch guns and each tlrre
being 81 feet ia diameter and eight fee. high.
The uIrets vii be u inches ~ thickness, ana the
fighting deck Will be covered with solid plates Of tie
same thickness the hull and vhich have been proved
TO be least 10 per cent stronger than an equal thick
ness Of metal made up as In tue case OF lLe nonltV
less thickness than feet Of white pine logs but which
tapers 10 30 incbs at feet below the load lne, Hhle
Tho engines ale not only usual placed below the water
lire, but also have the additional proleotOn oil TIE coa
bunkers on each side extending the whole length anu
hight Of the ship anu which viii hold over l01 tuns
The boilers six in number. and work two engines
with OOinoh CYLINDERS and go nominal horse powe
The diameter ofthe will be- u feet aud tho length
Of the screw skafi los feet while decided novelty in
steering upparaus ia the shape Of small auxiliary
rudder IL placed forward OF the screw IN aduton 10
The Largo and main one occupying the usual position
aft Increased command OF the vessel ana great
additional lyeiness in steering are expected from
this arrangement and u ir kopeq thlt the UNIV
Which nteficrcs much With the steering OF al nat
bottom boats without keels will thus be overcome.
All tho internal Gtlings VI the most massive char
ar,r and OF ihe greatest strer 9Th the dccl pnks beng
nine iuehe. thick and the beams Tor the engine bed are
OF extraordinary sire and thickness and profoundly I'm
press the beholGer with the sOidiiy Hhd snbstanhh
character Of the workmanship dlsp!e{ed througnou.
OF The twelve guns four viii be - inch ana elsh VII
be llnch bore Of the a-inch guns 70 be mounted
in e,h turret and pivot sun at each end o. the
fghfng deck commanding the llrboaid ana sinrDolrd
pofts the weight Of the broadslde in al nearly 5000
ne number q armor plates is 700 each weighing
two tuns that The total weight 81 armor vi" De JUS,
IO)1 tune more than lJld Tor any thrrt-hi ,ul
sLin The rig win b. brig rae. with two m1s's. The
eng!aos which 10 propl this mighty mass Vlth nsr
CT, Of COO men through The waves ~ tic"d oi AZ
least ~ knots an hour viii cost tIv',Vp ana are
IN Hiding at the Etns Iron works. while the cost 81
the hull l. estimated At s2OcO 90 but ~ Mr. Webb Is
constantly suggesting some improvement on the org
insl design Tie actual cott vii probably considerably
exceed that figure.
such $ the imperfect description which the present
unfinished state 81 the WORKS permits OF the most I'M
portrait experiment IN naval architecture that mas Dorn
made in ,s country, and sincerely hope that Il wiz
prove successf1L Nhseyer form our war ships Of the
future may take whether after the model OF tue Dun
dorerg or some later and different shape one ihng -
certan-tai an run clad navy I" BE- efficient ~ be OF
The sghtest use IN possible conflict VITA ne vessels
nog building IN the nayy-yaids OF InRihnd snd France
and o. b. capable of protecting our commerce. must De
seaworthy must pus.css q high speed and must be
reAy banded and II IL for thele reasons and because
Mr. Webb aims nj fulilng tAesc necessary conatioh,
1 At We wish him sucoo. aud commend his oApe'
mont 10 the attention Of our scientific shpbuiiders