Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-05-26

A Nassau correspondent Of the Nes York
Herald gives the following description Of the
rebel ram Stonewall, which be has visited 10 the
former port:
The Stopevall Is trihs more than two hun
dred feet 10 length over all aud has thirty. three
feet breadth of beam. She draws. With tso hun
dred tons OF coal 90 board, sixteen feet six
uche. aft, aad twelve feet forward She il
plated With three and bali inch iron. backed
inside with about three feet OF teak or African
oak, supported by Diagonal iron braces OF great
strength. into which the bolts securely fas-
tened Inside this sgsin is a second plating
should think about an inch ia thickness
This structure extends up TO the plank shear
and waterways, which are of heavy oak. Above
that comes an iron bulwark. bullet proof. and
made to fall inbosrd on hinges. in such way a.
TO prevent no obstruction ia action These bull
warks are about FIVE feet high. The steamer is
brig rugged, with bright lower masts, short mast
head, and spars painted black
The StOnewall il armed with three guns--tso
seventy Founders in her after. and one three
hundred FOUNDER in the forward turret. These
tufrets are OF African oak, stationary. and about
eighteen inches in thickness, with a plating OF
iron one and three quarter inches There are
FIVE openings or port holes; 20 reach which We
we're told the guns could be turned by crews OF
fourteen men with great CELEBRITY, and that. in
fact they could be served as easily and quickly
as howiizers. The great gun in the forward
lurret is served by eighteen men--the entire crew
Of the steamer. officers and men, amounting now
to about seventy; bu: twenty more are to be
shipped Within the turrets are racks OF cut.
asses firearms. pixies. sc. probably for repelling
bOarders. The three in large raised letters
But the most formidable feature Of the Stone
wall 10 the ram which forms her bow under
water, and which projects about twenty feet be
youd the bluff of the bows. As we stood the
forward turret We looked down upon this instru-
ment The bows Of the steain er. which are iron
plated, slope insensibly down TO the waters edge
and gradually disappear away forward under
water in a huge round backed point, sharpened
and curved as it descends under the water line
and presenting sharp steel edge 10 the object oi
her attack. We told that this does not sen
sibly affect the speed or naneuverng qualities OF
the ship. serving rather as an improved cut
water and easing her motions in head beat sea.
Directly above is q por.-holei towards which the
big gun was pointed; aud. on butting antag
onst. this gun is always shell-loaded and fired
directly ahead, thus breaking in the side OF a ship
under water and crashing at close range a two
hundred and fifty pound shell into her simultane-
ously The shot and shell OF the big gun are
elongated conical. and claimed to be the most
destructive yet invented.
This ram is made smooth, 40 that upon hitting
a ship she can instantly withdraw, retreat short
distance, and repeat the assault This she is ex
pected to be easily able to do 10y her double pro
pelers, which, il is said, will back her almost as
rapidly rs they can drive ahead, and serve the
additional purpose of turning her around almost
on her keel by propelling wit, one and reversing
with the other. She has also two keels, which
add greatly TO her strength. She has four boilers
and engines, with an aggregate power OF nearl
six hundred horses The disposition OF the mag
azne, coal bunkers, provision and store room:
do not materially differ from that OF other YES
sells of her oh iracter being, ot course. arranged
with reference to economy of space and the
engines and boilers. Altogether, below, she is a
curious sight, and displays great constructive in
genuity.
should say the Stonewall was vulnerable, il
any here, on her decks These are OF wood
though iron plated beneath. The descent of a
series of plungng. heavy shells upon these decks
would break them through. as was the case with
one OF the monitors in 1862, when attempting to
pass Fort Darling. She might also be vulnerable
to determined and numerous boarding party
Attacked by two or three VESSELS "a once, lille
engaged with one, the other tould range along
eide and sweep her decks, which, unlike those oil
the famous Merrinac. are unprotected by any
roofing The man at the wheel is also quite un-
covered By driving the crew inside The turrets
the decks, at least, could be ken possession OF
But leaving such speculatons,to ADLER aud more
experienced heads, 1 can but aeree with all who
have visited her. that she is the most formidable
engine OF destruction that has yet been set aaoat