The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-08-20

States attracted more universal attention than the
vessel alluded to-tne Dunderbsrg-buit by Mr.. Webb
at his yard in New York. While Mr. Webb was treating
with the Navy Department to points 10 her construc
| tion and when It became known that there might be
difficulties this particular, propositions were made BY
foreign Powers her purchase; but 1t was decided
| by the President, advised by his Cabinet that shs
Dundsrberg too formidable an engine OF war
| to DO allowed TO pass under foreign flag.
| General Grant and Secretary Stanton strongly
urged her detention. Finally upon application OF Mr..
Webb congress passed resolution releasing al CLAIMS
upon her when the builder should repay the ad
yanced for her construction Mr. Webb compiled with
the resolution Congress- aud the first class Powers Of
Europe and America again We'd with each other in pro-
positions for her purchase, aud she finally sold to
| France.
will be remembered that from the outset; whom the
! keel OF the Dunderberg first laid loud and
constant camor kept up by different parties for
divers motives against the new features which to
be introduced as essential points render tie Dunder
1 berg the swfest most substantial, powerful aud inn
4 pre- nabe engine Of war bult Notwithstanding,
the work progressed it originally designed and
! she launched IN the summer OF 1865 Upon the
completion tho articles with the Emperor Napoleon
the Dunderberg passed under the French ae subject to
Mr. webbs control Till she should be formally delivered
| to the French government
|
| Captain j. J. Comstock, assisted by large stat Of
American officers the Dunderberg weighed anchor at
| seven O'Clock the morning OF the 10th ult. and
steamed down the bay crossing the bar at ten o'clock
outward bound for Cnerbourg She made hesdway for
the first twenty-four hours at the rate OF over eight
knots per hour steering cast three-quarters
sail made for the rst time early the after
noon of the 2Oth with the wind abeam. During this
time the benefit OF all her boilers was denied, so that
srictest economy the consumption of coal could
| be practised From the very beginning she showed
those remarkable qualities In steering that were mani
tested previous occasions. pointedy obeyng the
| helm and meeting every spoke with willingness aud pre-
| csor of movement During the entire day heavy
swell running the breaking the after deck
| abaft the casemate, and the forecastle, forward
Of the casemate, making it necessary to close and
batten down the skyighs forward and abaft the
mate but at time did any wafer of account find its
way the spar deck the casemate On the morn
ing Of the z1st ut, her course remaining unchanged
| she was making nine knots per hour against very
heavy and continuous SWELL and at Intervals during the
| day sail again made when it found advan-
tagsous- She then working uader two-thrds ofthe
boilers aud consuming seventy of coal per day
A peculiar motion marked her buoyancy For several
successive rolls her oscillations like those of the pen.
duum seemed to be equal and steady both sides OF
the perpendicular, when If by al effort to resist the
crowdng tendency Of the sea, she would her
self remain stationary for slvr; interval and again
| give way the exacling element Here the arierst
sees point Of the highest value The rolling motion
enables him TO work the battery, to sponge load and
train taxing advantage Of her list toward from TIE
enemy. Her position OF lateral rest is seized upon
toe proper moment TO fire But at no time did she roll
that II was difficult. for person walk about her
4 decks or occupy camp stool with perfect comfort
Neither necessary TO use racks on the mess tables
during meals
Having been aboard many vessels in the United States
SERVICE both sailing vessels ard steamers. can testify
to the fact that hare never seen vessel remarka
hV hnnu1 Qr.a NINA a.s~Vcn
! power IN battling the sea and controlling her rolling
| tendencies the punderbcrg
into the Gulf Stream passing several sails bound ill., her
course turning little to northward. Nine knots con-
il was found that her speed was fraction more The
slips from meridian of the 22d to meridian the
Ave miles. At this time all the coal on her gun deck
1 which was confined by temporary bulkheads running
buIkheads removed The dfth DAY out and more than
thousand miles from shore, she logged eleven knots
under pressure OF steam from only four boilers
tshe having only six. and with heavy swelling
I running.
csdng and brought her southwark and east
ward OF the "Grnnd Bank of Newfoundland, and in
On Friday the Goth uIt, her screw made forty turns.
and barring slips, she made over knots through the
% wal inc wa Ir .n s diy on the
ing easily and smoothly in swelling Several barks
brgs and schoonsrs this day for the first time
since leaving port at different points Of the pass.
all disappearing through the back entrance Of the
horizon as,ern. On the evening OF the 9th the wind
reshened and hauled around TO westward and towards
dusk u Blowing gale The DupderberS went on her
and the only thing that would denote person
between decks tat the elements reused the
whistling sound Of the wind During the blow. which
lasted two days, her overhang underwent fearful
ordeal AS the would would strike under the
overriding with tremendous force awaited nothing
Noon on the goth ult. brought us within six hundred
told that were rapidly approaching r the
English Channel. At noon the wind hauled TO east
usp In and nd al pfav. Ma
| abeam, spread Of canvass again mado In the
afternoon the first land made, which discovered
20 he Bishops Rock lighthouse, on OF the Sicily
Islands Standing passed the high southern
the wonder Of doubling shippers The Dunderbcrg con-
nued to be the object Of interest all the up tho
north At quarter-past twelve A. n Start Point light
bore IN the same direction At Eve A. d. on Saturday
we passed Portland Bill and bore down toward Cher
boug took pilot ard stood In for the inner harbor
ana dropped anchor at four O'Clock P. n.
Allowing FOR stoppsges twelve hours, which were
made TO Keep up the engines and Eve hours dI1er
encc Of time between New York and Cherbourg the
passage was made in fourteen days i've hours; and
had rot been Tor the Of the machinery is
safe to say that II would have been made in thirteen
days at the furthest Al no iime they worked to
We we're detained on Cherbourg from early in the
morning I'LL ate IN the afternoon by dense fog, which
completely obscnred the entrance to the port "My |
Lord Dundresry' an English gentleman was becsmed |
on the coast IN his yacht, and that would
him into Cherbourg The request was complied with,
and no incident marked our entrance 10 our
anchorage.
And thus passes from America TO France the most
formidable vessel in the world Sailing with no convoy
but her designer and constructor with no assistance but
her own inward resources abe stsams from New York
70 Cheroourg. and makes the passage within fifteen
days. This feat Of the Dunderberg will open tho
eyes OF the world and add fresh aurels TO American
ingenuity ppoc.aims that q vessel Of var
can DC out upon the most enormous SCALE possessing
sn tue attributes OF speed. formdabity and Of
movement while u: exerisr plainly indicates tenscy
aud strength which no enemy can overcome Her |
builder gentleman Of great talent and experiences,
brought the force OF his iabors covering nearly life
time, IN which period he has built more tonnage than
any shipouiidsr IN the world and among them several
vessels oil war TO assist an enterprise which will for
foreign governments rsvouiionizs offensive and defeu-
slve warfare. Opening 10 our international |
trade by the construction of the General Admiral for
Russia he has followed this by the building OF the
Re ltalie and the Re Gualantomo for Italy and has
finally cmaxsd his fame by the sale Of the Dundsrbsrg
IN Eran