The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-17
MAN-oF-wAR BURNED.
Total Destruction Of the Iron-F'ased
Frigate New IronSdes'
Ne Vlre Said to be the Wsrk Of IN N
eeudlary.
History Of the Vessel and Her
Achievements.

sn,, ora o'clock this morning the United States iron
voa,ed frgo,e New Ironsdes lying ct League Island,
- discovered to be in flames Owing 70 the distance
s,om the civ considerable elapsed before any nre
cnrnes reached the spot and they were aps 10 40 out
little towards saving the noble ship.
sss continued TO burn until this afternoon, and is
nov total loss
No other vessel Of the feet anchored near her was In
jurcd
The naval officers are very retcent about the arair
hat the re s believed to been the work Of design
escriptiOn Of the New IrOnstdes.
The New Ironsides was Of the largest roncads Of
our navy She was built At Philadelphia BY the follow
Inc er,ns. Machinery and armor by Merrck Son, ssd
usn cramp h SONG She was 1850 tons burthen NOW
.ocnayel and had nominal horse power Of 1000. Her
frama was OF white oak, averaging in thickness at
mar ton sides twenty inches, and her plating
.ommen.ed about four feet below tho water
~arl. extending up to the spar deck. Only
mat norton Of her gun deck containing her armament
vas plated leaving part at both bow and stern unpro
tsc,ad by outward plates The bulkheads At each END
ct the gunroom were, however, bombproof Her plat
ING was four inches in thickness, fifteen In length and
twenty-five to thirty inches In width The ports, Of
witch there were eight on each SIDE were closed by
.neans Of two wrought iron plates which dropped to-
sether AZ each reco OF the guns Her dimensions wore
- fcilows:-
Hcoden Hull-Lenglh, 2a2 feet; length between per-
pendiculsrs $50 feet; BEAM 81 fse inchesi depth Of
hold II feet; tonnage. by measurement $50; dnugnt
Of water a deep lead line, 10 seet; displacement 100
toms inward actual area 500 square feet weight o. hull
0O0 TONS estimated weight OF armor 7oO tons;
bark rig short b0wsprit, no tbooom
Bas.Tv-sixtesn eleven nch Dahlgren guns; weight
n guns 2S4 800 pounds yeght OF one oroadsde metal
jshel 1,10o pounds; Weight OF metal thrown at one
broadsyde ehot 1000 ponds two two hundred FOUNDER
Parrot rife guns; four twentyfour FOUNDER poat how
flyers.
cylinders so inches stroke OF pistons, 80 nches
face Of condensers condensng surface) 5000 square
feet diameter Of ~ pump, l2s feet stroke OF the air
Bo-rs-Four horizontal tubular; heating surface to
COP of tube box $3.50 square feet; crate surface 1856
square feet estimated consumption Of coal in twenty
Probation composiiiod screw; number Of
blades 4; diameter, 10 feet; pitch tmean), 10 feet;
The New konsides carried quite press OF sail. She
was lifted With heavy RAM securely fastened on her
how Achcular pilot house was placed upon the spar
aeck. from which the commanding officer could commu
nicaie directly with the deck and with the men At
shs wheel who were located on the berth deck out OF
Aarms way. Her officers quarters generally large
and well ventilated and except that she lacked some.
what In speed the New ronsdes alt ogetheY Of
she finest vessels In our navy
Upon receiving her armament she was put In commits.
Een, and ordered TO Port Royal South Carolina,
~ wnicn port she arrived IN the month OF January
From there she sent 70 Charleston, under the
command OF Captain Thomas Turner, and was used by
Admiral Dupont his flagship. On tho 7th Of April
1so3 she participated In the attack Fort sumter and
passed through the without receiving any
material damage, although repeatedly struck BY the
rebel shells In the two attacks Fort Wagner, July
IS and August IL OF the year. the New lronsides
aook conspicuous part and aided greatly in tho reduc-
aion OF that fort On the It'll and Sth of September fol-
lowing she bombarded Fort Moultrie firing ono hundred
and nifty shells the first day and four hundred and
Aaghtythree ON the next On the 9th Of October the
rebel torpedo steamer Davis attempted blow her uy
while at anchor on Charleston harbor The attempt was
made at nine O'Clock the night but failed from the
rebel officer exploding the torpedo before wei
under the vessel Although considerably Jared by the
shock, she received further injury than lay IN the
she vast volume Of water which, thrown up by the OK
ploeon fell upon her Some time before this attempted
destruction, Rear Admiral Rowan then captain wal
placed In command Of the Ironsides relieving Captain
Turner. Since the close OF tho she was laid up q
league Island, Philadelphia