The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-12-16

|. cOnSLrucGl0y III LUC navy yuiuSs uiO VI
|, The smaller class Of them being gunboats eight
| of which are of the class Of the Nipsic OF oOo
tons. mounting one heavy pivot ana TOUT
broadside guns There are four OF the Grass vi
the Nantucket, OF 900 tons, mounnng one
heavy pivot, with six broadside guns; u ~. ~
dition to these there are four VESTS ~ e eIo
class of the Algona, with tonnage Vi IsooU
TONS and proportionate armament. All OF
these vessels have very considerable steam
mower. and will as some of them have already
proved, be efficient cruisers AZ sea- s
STEAM MACHINERY - IMPORTANT RXPERI-
MENTs. t. ...
As our navy has become not only ex-
clusiyely steam navy, but q very large
one. with an enormous consumption of
coal and great expenditure for the con-
struction and repair of machinery, it be-
comes matter of the FIRST consequence
that only the best machinery be obtained
for it. This problem is one of very diff
cult, costly and slow solution:
Mindful of the Importance OF this matter,
the Department notwithstanding the great
pressure upon its resources by the war, has
kept it in view and promoted by every means
the acquisition of the necessary information
The proportions of hulls have been varied with
view to determine the relative development
! of speed in proportion to given power ma.
types and systems and the Department has en-
couraged all offers from citizens as we'll as from
| its own officers, to build new machinery that
gave promise of improvement.
In its iron clads the department has expert
mented by the construction OF different classes
and sizes, both in wood and iron, propelled by
one screw and by two screws, working indie
! pendently OF each other. In its most recent
| constructions. of the Miantonomah class.
wooden vessel designed by the naval aonstruc-
tors and built at tine navy yards, with Ericsson
turrets and machinery designated by the Bu-
reau of Steam Engineering, a high rate of
speed, perfect ventilation, impregnability and
| the enormous battery of four 14-inch guns,
have been combined in q vessel of the moder-
ate size of 1.064 tons, drawing only twelve feet
of water. These vessels are free IRON the dis
| advantage OF fOuling, which so greatly reduces
the speed OF iron ones.
Others of this type, but of increased tom
mage, are in process of construction. TO nave
still higher speed and be adapted to coast ger.
| vice.
So far as the exigencies of the war would
permit the different types of machinery have
been submitted to careful experiment to ascer-
tain their relative merits. Nearly every varie.
tv of boiler and of expansive gear, of late OF
expansion, and OF saturated and superheated
steam, has been made the subject OF accurate
experiment, and it is believed that the files OF
the Department contain the latest and most
reliable information on these subjects. A chief
engineer Of the navy has been sent to Europe
to collect information on these topics in addi-
ton to the published accounts and official re-
ports.
Nearly all the kinds of Goals of the scaboard
states have beeu tie subject of careful expert
ment, with a view To- ascertain their compare
tive value for naval purposes. board of en-
gineers has also experimental with petroleum
as a substitute Tor coal in naval steamers.
AS opinion appears to have settled upon the
| hnr mi. al o,nA uor siOal tnh hniloro as
the only ones proper for naval service, the De-
partment has had one Of each kind m inufac-
tured, according TO designs furnished by a
board of nine engineers, employed in the prin-
cpal private steam-engiue manufacturing es-
Establishments of the country and by the Blu
ofaccura:e experiments to determine their re-
| spective merits. These experiments will be
of the most elaborate nature, and will, it is
presumed, enable choice to be made. They
are now in progress.
A commission of nine, on practical engineer
ing. has been appointed by the Department,
consisting of three from the Academy of Sci
ence, three from the Franklin Institute, and
three on the part of the DEPARTMENTAL emil
nent in physical science-tO devise the proper
apparatus, and make the necessary expert
ments Herewith, to ascertain by practical re-
suits the economy of using steam with differ
ent degrees of expansion. These experiments,
which are now ia progress, will be as elabO-
rate and as complete as it is possible to make
them. And under the practical conditions of
steam engineering it is believed they will in
disputably set at rest the amount of gain to be
obtained from using steam with different meas.
ures of expansion, and also determine the rel
alive merits of different kinds of valve gear,
steam pressure, &C, besides settling many in
cidental questions of great importance.
NAVY YARD FOR IRON VESSELS
Mr.. Welles again urges the importance
of providing Navy Yard in fresh water
for our iron vessels, for they cannot be
laid up in salt water. He contends that
the situation of this yard should be in the
vicinity of large city, where skilled arti-
sans can be obtained without difficulty,
and the facilities of markets and tene-
ments are abundant, and strongly recon-
mends the selection of League Island, for
these reasons: -
A foundation of gravel would, for the pur-
poses of machinery, be preferable to stone.
An extensive water frontage must also be &C.
| cured. For such depot and establishment,
where costly machinery and material would
| accumulate during years of peace the advan-
tages Of an interior location are most mani
| fest These favorable conditions are to be
obtained nowhere else so completely as on the
| Delaware River; and the position of League
| Island within the limits of the city of Phila-
| delphia, presents probably stronger combi-
nation of the points that are necessary, than
any other location.
1t is to be regretted that competition for
supposed local benefits should be interfered
with, retard, and perhaps entirely defeat the
government in its efforts to secure SO impor-
tant a national establishment. If in such
conflict for sectional favor the country should
lose forever the best situation for such navy
ward and establishments, the result would be
always deplored. The Department has stu
diously avoided the controversy which has
arisen in consequence of the efforts to secure
navy ward at New London, which is foreign to
the question of enlarging or substituting more
commodious establishment at Philadelphia. A
multiplicity of small yards, similar in character,
crowded into one section of the county, was
not the object or purpose of the Department
in the suggestions and recommendations which
it has from time to time urged upon Congress
There are already three navy yards east of the
Hudson, and should Congress deem it advisable
to add another to that section or elsewhere, it
is to be hoped that such determination win not
interfere with or prevent the government from
having proper establishment for the construc-
ton of iron vessels, iron armor, and iron work
of every description for naval purposes in the
immediate vicinity of the iron and coal regions