Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1865-02-21
the FRhuC0. REBEL, RAMS.
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Prom me =. 4. Hefsld. Feb. 10

TtOul tuc i. nerolu, ECO. lOs
We published several days ago the start
ling announcement thst The rebel irpn-chsl
rams Sphynx and Cheops were on their way
across the Atlantic, destined, according to
the best information, for New r. York city,
and il yesterdays Herald No gave cor.
rOboration Of the story BY eur Paris ceres.
pondent. The accompanying description,
by . gentleman who visited the rams while
thsX. were being Constructed. Kill - 1e..nsa
conssruct0r OF the two tfOn-clad rams.-
When our informant saw them one was on
the stocks, and the other, the Sphynx, was
launched. She 10 full rugged brig. with
very large wooden spars, not 1T all adapted
to her purpose % q vessel Of war, but Of the
greatest advantage in enabling her to cross
the Atlantic.
The ram Of the Sphynx il of great length,
about thirty live feet, and is prolongation
Of her keel it is hollow, heavily plated, and
it, end consists Of ponderous forging Of
excellent workmanship. IL 10 intended to
pierce the side Of an arinored adversary be-
meath it, plating. Its hollowness will give it
buoyancy, and Il rises with gradual curve
until i u Lost in the forward turret, which
16fms the Bow Of the ship above water. .
movable bowsprit being rugged out from the
turret's top. fsa
This turret has three ports, one directly
ahead, the other two On It's sides; in these
ports are pivot plates, and on it's afterpart
ID large door cut down to the deck. The
turrets are Of oak, about two feet think, and
WI have four and thrce-eighths inches sol.
1dphting. Tho plating on the hull is about
four inches thick. Under the wooden deck
is thin plating, not more than three Fights
Of m inch thick. A.
: The after tufrct is about thirty feet from
the stern, and is much like the forward one,
'6Ait mas two ports on each side, and door
both forward and aft. Between the turrets
and sbslt 1Aetn are large pivot ports in the
bulwarks, closed with iron shutters: but
sAe s(tee thrret cannot fire directly astern.
- there 10 small poop cabin about six feet
dep. ! snlse't '.ts
TheiSphynx has two screws. and, as It
wpqA eYA stems. Ter abait the nainlnast are
Two heels and two separate stern posts, with
swtde spsce between. There is = rudder on
each Sem post, but our informant could
not Learn the arrangs,nsnt for steering. IT Z
doubly Scscy will sivesvsat g ility in turn-
ing, .Ahd the double stern will increase the
stability. This double stern is not pcrcep-
tible ahqKQ wstess and would not. tesu
pected. It exists also in the sister ship,
which xAs still ep IT, steclss whca eur n.
fothiAdt 1xsnided The Sphynx.
The engines ase said to Be Of three hum
drcd and filty Morse power. YE
u The armof Of these vessels could not r.
s!qs HE crushing effect &C the filteen-inci,
guns with which our oWn iron-clads are
9rpeq, nor is it believed, from, the size Of
QaREob elstes ID their ports, that they
wers inten9ea - cnuv Me heaviest ordi.
HnHGt, IA llssf.NtM aSsyu4-
: ks ipiss d the Sphynx ms Of wood. ipd
4otef trnn, white those Of the wooden ves-
ssls'at ST. Nanris, built under the same
auspices, ~ * irt1 Offering much small
len ees6t r. q tule1iy d shot. For : trans
A. Asl..nsis'vsysss thses Aeavy spars ~ Of The