The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-06
THE "pUNpERRERc."

The FIRST experimental trip of the mammoth
;ArmOred ram, the DundeT6@g, literally the
~Thunder-Mountain,n occurred yesterday, and
no its results was as thorough a success as were
she interests that hung upon its issue Of grand
and grave Importance. AT O'CLOCK, the start
mg hour our reporter nosceu on pOara a.,ia MI.
tor; Mr.. Mcschler, the toreman-n-ohief OF Mr..
Webb's yard; Mr. Roach, builder OF the engines:
Mr.. Erastus w. Smith, controlling constructive
,engiueer; and Mr.. Thomas Main, his assistant,
with Captain James Comstock, late of the B1t-
6c Collins line, in command Uf the DundeT6erg,
which was named by thirty seamen, and run
by one hundred and ten fremen, assistant engl.
neers, ETC., the full complement, directed by
Mr.. John Callahan, the active engineer. The
party was limited to those enumerated, as the
purpose Of the trip was purel 7fscientihc, aud
the inability of accommodating all the friends
OF the builders would have proved as complete
as the selection of favored few would nave
been inyidous; so only the parties directly con-
Cerned were allowed to go.
sTEAMING OUT FROM THE DOCK.
Early as was the hour the spacious dock at
the foot of Sixth street was thickly sprnkled
with spectators, mostly shlpwrights and as the
stentorian voice of Captain Comstock gave the
order: "Let all 90 ~ motion was first impaired
20 the immense mass that has known no other
except the tldesway, fol- many months, and the
Dladerberg steamed out into the waters, over
which she is TO hold martial empire straight as
a dart, steady as ever ship that floated, and big
as q Colossus. Her egress was greeted with
stately iron craft, we're taken up by the yoya.
gers and sent back with vocal usury shore
ward, until the air rang, and lungs could hurrah
90 longer.
The appearance o. the ThuRder- Mountain is
not the defiant, rakish, saucy look that is fe-
tered irom keel 20 truck on every clipper; but
9ying low in the waters, she spreads out into
massiyity and proceeds with almost conscious
and easily visible majesty OF notion bearing
right Oh her undertaking course, breathing grim
defiance and warning from ner short but i'm.
mensely wide smoke-stack, and advancing with
that wicked ram.proW that extends hGty feet
over and under the surface able to split and
sink oil the wooden walls man has launched
since Father Noahs floating mcnagerie went into
dry-dOck on Ararat.
Her ochre-red hue OF grimly prolonged out
line contrasts with the black baptism OF smoke
that haos her powerful, unsWaying progress,
and when the mighty ordnance pout immense
sable lips through the gaping portfolios, the
effect will be still vaster and more imposing.
All were delighted with the beautiful obedience
and working OF the ram. As only TO reduce
the friction OF the engines was the purpose of
the trip, and to famiharize the men with their
management but the moderate pressure OF
sixteen pounds OF steam was allowed. This
secured forty revolutions OF the enormous screw
wheels per minute, and shot the symmetrical
mass along AZ an hourly rate of ten knots.
DO devoid OF the least tendency to roll, or even
20 luduiatc, was the vessel, that, but for the
breathing OF the gigantic steam lungs and the
recession OF outside objects, the motion would
nave Deen DafeIy pCTCCpLlDlcs EVERY one on
board was permeatcc win enthusiasm, from the
cabin boy to commodore, congratulation and
compliment ln,erpassed between all, and pro-
position 10 run into and pulVerize Governors
motion to ram OF Sandy Hook from main
Jersey, and assure quarantine to the Empire
State.
DIARY OF THE EXPEDITION.
Embarked from sixth Street Dock al 5'45 A.
M. Steamed directly for BIoOklyn Navy Yard,
where were taken on board the following officers
of the Government, ordered to superintend the
working OF the eram:-iost-Captains RnggOld
and Ransom, and Engineers Dandy and Purse,
Of the United States navy. Rear-Admiral Gre
CORY was detained by sickness. After steamng
at will around the harbor as tar as Christopher
and Canal streets, the ram was headed for the
Narrows, by way Of Buttermlk Channel, drst
passing and saluting the PERSIA of her dock at
Jersey Cry. The Narrows we're reached az s '45
A. NJ . and Forts Lafayette ana Richmond dipped
ensigns to the DH2Ge'berg, the recognition being
returned amid the tremendous cheers of crew
and garrison, the latter being in line Tor in
spection.
with au appetite Whetted by saline air and eX-
nilaration, Barely had the JOINT merits 1t the
-epast and the vessel been welt discussed before
the hghtship was reached and open ocean
gained. Here at 915 the whole parry came on
deck to witness the test evoiuuon5 OF the ram,
which vas turned repeatedly, iOrty-one times in
ALL IN a space barely more than half her total
length, $50 feet inches, each com plete revolu-
ton being made in an average ume of three
minutes and thirty seconds, by our reporters
watch, and not the least dipping or lateral
iurchlng being noticeable to the acutest obserya-
lion. AS q prophecy and exhibition OF the
rapiditY and facility with which, III case of con-
hiCt the nautical annihllator could ''change her
base,n either to vary the direction OF her dis
charges or TO bisect her opponent, this execu-
ton was pronounced unapproacnable on the
part of anything else that now carries cannon,
by the unanimous verdict OF the officials on
board.
During the day the Dunderbelg was steamed
around the Lower Bay, and thrice up the North
river as far as Canal street. The eHs OF her
departure had spread through the city, and the
dock was black with excited thousands, VINO
cheered Justify her every appearance. The
men-o.-war ships and merchantmen or all
nations in the harbor were crowded, what with
their crews and the adventurous many that
had boarded their decks for observation from
the two cities and from the mosquito marshes
OF the State OF Camden and Amboy. Glasses
lnnumerable were leYelled, hosts OF flags
fluttered welcome, deep-throated huzzas every
where rlbboned the air. The progress OF the
Dujderberg was as complete an ovation as II
was a Vindication Of the immense expenditure
labor, and design bestowed upon her structure
Of the collation., the speeches, the songs
toasts, and grand edible and social good tlme
generally, space debars mention.
At g. O'Clock the DlLndeT'berg steamed back
without accident to her dock taking advan-
tage OF the then prevailing high water to ac
cOmmodate her large draught of twenty-onC
feet and the party disembarked. One or two
other similar short trips are projected before
the decisive trial trip TO extend through ivt
DAYS is 70 occur During this excursion the
Daiaderberq developed exactly Onehalf he
90 yer OF steam-pressure, and one-halt the mum
ber of assured possible maximum revolutions o
the screw Wheel
The amount of pressure of steam was siXteel
pounds to the square inch, the number OF revC
jutons was forty to the minute, the speed te
mi. i ~. -. s.l