The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1865-08-03
Launching of the Dunderberg.
THE LARGEST IRoN-CLAD EVER FLoATED

THE LARGEST IRON-CLAD EVER FLoATED.
The iron clad frigate rom Dunderberg,
5000 tons burden, was launched from the
ship-yard Of her builder, Mr.. w. Ell. Webb.
on the East River, New York, on Satur-
day morning, in the presence of thous-
ands of spectators. The launch was in
every respect successful. As soon as the
Dunderberg struck the water, and began
to swim toward Long Island, feet Of
powerful steam tugs gave chase. Great
hawsers were soon passed on board OF
each little steamboat, and all were pres
emily engaged in holding back the big
war vessel, desperately striving to break
loose and travel onward. A quarter of
an hour was thus occupied; meantime
her momentum and the tide had carried
the Dunderberg past Green point, near
which place the great vessel was brought
under control, and prepared for her re-
turn passage to New York. For this
purpose two tugs were lashed on each
side of the war ship, the other steam
boats towing in the advance. Half an
hour was occupied in crossing the river,
and another half hour used up in secur-
ing the Dunderberg at the wharf, foot Of
Seventh street The assemblage on
shore soon after dispersed, highly de.
lighted with the event of the morning.
WHAT THE DUNDERBERG WILL BE.
The huge hull launched on Saturday
is merely the wooden carcase, $50 feet
long, 20 feet wide at the centre, % feet
deep, and not less than feet thick in ev,
cry part. At the bow is a solid wooden
projection, so feet in length, which will
be used for a ram when clothed with iron
Upon the upper deck of the Dunderberg
wooden casemate also three feet in thick
ness, has been built, in which will be
placed sixteen guns; four of these will
carry 15 inch shell, the balance being /
inch cannon. The sides of this easement
are built up at an angle of 45 degrees fol
the purpose of shedding the projectiles
that may be hurled at her by an enemy
The wooden hull is to be covered with q
thousand tons of iron armor, put on in
slabs 2! to A. inches thick, three feel
wide, and from II to Is feet long. The
length and thickness of these slabs will
be varied according to the position they
occupy. Being put on with screw bolts,
one and half inches in diameter, those
inside the vessel, will not be liable to ac-
cidents from flying bolts, as none will
penetrate the woodwork more than Is
inches. The pilot-house, is to be built Of
iron ten inches thick, will be six feet in
diameter and seven feet high. The pro.
peller will be twenty-one feet in diane
ter, on a shaft lis feet long. Two rud-
ders will be protected by stern shelf,
projecting over them. Two masts which
will be brig rugged for many thousand
feet of canvass. Two engines of five
thousand horse power, are expected tc
drive the Dunderberg through the water
at the rate of fifteen knots an hour. Six
large boilers will supply the steam. All
the new improvements in engines, con-
densers; boilers, pumps, &C., will be ap-
propriately placed within the huge ship
measuring 5000, but capable of carrying
at least $3.50 tons weight. Coal bunk
ers large enough tor ,0O0 tons Of fuel
are located on either side of the engine
room, extending in fact the whole length
of the vessel, in reality making two YES
sells, one inside of the other, the partitions
being thicker than the sides of an ordi-
nary vessel, and water-tight. She displa-
ces seven thousand tons of water, will
draw only p feet when iron-clad, armed
and ready for a naval conflict. Bulk
heads and heavy diagonal braces distrib
uted throughout the ship will make the
Dunderberg one of the strongest vessels
of war afoat, and if all the anticipations
of her builders are realized, she will not
only be the swiftest but most impregnable
vessel of her class in existence on this or
any other side of the Atlantic. In short,
veritable floating "Thunderberg."