The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-05-22
THE FLYING sQvApRoRs.
A Fleet OF swtN Naval Vessels Building
for Special Sorvice-DescriPtaea Of the
Ertgate Amsn OnOOsuc,

A Fleet Of SWtaS Naval Vessels Building
for Special OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Of the
Frtgate AmsnOnoOsuc.
Orders have lately been received at the Boston Navy
Yard TO recommeoce work upon the steam frigate
Amsonoosuc aud push that vessel to completion with
much rapidity as possible. 1t Is said that when com
pseted the Ammonoosuc will be assigned to duty flag
ship OF new squadron TO be known the South Pacific
squadron
The Ammonoosuc one Of feet Of six vessels ORDER
cd in the closing year Of the late rebellion and consist
g OF the Neshaminy being fitted for service at the
Brooklyn Navy Yard; the Idabo preparing for her
trial trip at the same place. the wampanoag fitting for
service at New York; the Pompanoosuc building at
Boston Navy Yard; and the Madawaska now nearly
ready for service at New York These vessels have
all been designed and constructed with view TO
making speed the paramount object, and the public
Will shortly have an opportunity Of comparing the
relative merits government built vessels with those
constructed at private yards The Ammonoosuc Ia sad
10 be the sharpest propeller war ever built and
there Ia anything in her model she possesses all th,
requisite qualifications 10 make her the ae test vessel
ahoat. She was built from drawings furnished BY the
bureau OF Construction and Repair and under the super
vision OF Mr.. W. L. Hanscom, Naval Constructor to
whose skii we are Indebted Tor Of the Is
IN our navy--among which may mention the Monitor
Monadnock, now attracting much attention for her
unprecedented performances while on her voyage to the
Pacific. Her dimensions are as folows:-icpg be-
tween prpena culars 1856 feet length ALL 1854 feet;
ncSes % "es ~ feet, depth no
meas rsmen9 Zoly displacement in TONS S99s She
wa, launched on the 2st o. July 1854 and requires
having been nearly completed before The order Mas
ISSUED 70 suspend operations upon her. Tn
for the use OF the commanding officer being
unusually spacious, while the room and steerages
are very large well lighted aud ventilated. The maya
zines shell storerooms quarters for the crew arc ali
tat could DO desired much more space being allowed
vessel OF her size and build Her will consist
Of sixteen broadsd guns Of and eleven inch caIbre
and ono pivot rih, on the forecaste deck
The machinery Of tho Ammonoosuc was built at the
Morgan Iron Works In this city, from plans by
he Chief of the Bureau of Steam Engineering, Mr. B.
y sherwood and rs OF the most powerful description,
consisting OF pair oil direct acting eng nes with cyiin
Ter one hundred inches in diameter and forty eight
inches stroke Of piston They geared to the propeller
haft in proportion Of about two to one aud are fur.
shed with double ported equilibrium slide valves, cut
ing OH at twohirds Of the stroke or less required by
he well known link motion. The condenser Is OF the
urface kind 1t will contain les seamless tubes
ND have separate air and circulating pumps for each
ions, the engines will work up fully 800 horse
'owcr The pstons are to make As double
0 the square inch. There will be eight ma n and four
uperheatpg boilers, all Of the horizon al tubular Type
srscs ~ Sc az o ee "a
team supcrheatng surface OF 2s4S square feet The
main bearings arc four feet in length eighteen inches
diameter, and, like all the important bearings these
agnes will be lifted with the most approved lubrcat
NJ appliances The steam pipes and stop valves SO
rnpged that the steam from the eight main boilers |
nay be pass directly TO the engines without being
and any portion the whole OF may be
onyeyed through the superheatng boilers and ten
eraiure elevated 70 any desirable degree. The space
coupled by boilers and engines will be IT. feet aud
below the water line, and consequently out Of reach
shot The Ammonoosuc can stow ATS tons Of coal
er berth deck aud 625 tons in her hold making IN all
900 TONS which Is believe the largest quantity
arrcd by any vessel IN navy.
The engines Of the Ammonoosuc possess moro than or
mary interest not alone account Of their gantic
roportions, or because they are applied to the
nest vessels ever built but owing the fact that they
ave been constructed 70 compete 18th the engines gen.
rally adopted by the Navy Department for large |
crew steamships now under completion. This class OF
essel attracts much attention from the naval Powers OF
,uropc IN consequence Of their and
over and although such matters have heretofore
tied but little interest among the American people at
arge, recent events have awak ned desire
1hether we are prepared for contest with trans.
tlantc nci2hbors OF England aud France This question
Tf be answer when the trial trips Of the splendid new
eet Of screw rgates take place. Az regards the Am
nonoosuc VIC have doubt that she will prove decided
uccess, beng furnished with every known appliance
9th VI hull and maahnery calculated to make her the
IA ~ vaea Ieff ha /