New-York tribune., 1867-02-25
TIN DUNDEKBERG.
HER OCEAN TRIAL TRIP-FAsr SAILING ANs EASY
MANAGEMENT OF THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.


,ronclad ram Dunderberg on her final trial trip The
construction Of engine Of war has been already
thoroughly described IN THE TRIBUNE OF the SOth Oh ase
July But few words in this respect will DO now neces-
sary The hun OF the Dunderberg Is $50 rect inces IN
length ~ feet inches In beam, with capacity OF oVo
tuns od measurement) The side armor Is OF the pest
hammered iron manufactured into slabs from 70 to 10
feet IN length by in BREADTH with thickness OF 81
inches the plates being secured TO the armor cushion by
ii inch bolts The plates placed vertically and not
horizontally as with armOred vessels OF European
| manufacture The is the great feature To
| form this ram, the vessel has been made lI lhto
back 50 feet; thus rendering 1t Impossible IOf a. any
shock TO break 1t off, The ram Itself Is eneased III :
only from the shot Of the enemy also from abrasion
in contact The vessel has four decks yh: The he spar %
deck, fightng.roOm the onginedeck, and the fre-
deck The casehate does not cover the entire % ht,
There IL an ample lower space extending beyond III D0tn
stem and portion OF the latter space Is occupied
the ward room and the remainder az an mpenelraDe
space at the bow comprises the mighty ram ITSELF bearing
s extremely the Long snPmeTEea $ " ea.e waSa of
collision. The vessel is now fully rgged and has nearly
all her appointments complete se mas only bsy M are ali
Dahgrens and consist Of an 1nch gun at the bow ana
stern and Il-nch and one 15nch gun Oh each SIDE
Altogether considered by her builder aud designer
M W H. webb, and by competent engineers, as by lar
lie most formidable vessel Of war ever constructed.
TILE TRIAL TRIP.
The Dunderberg made short trial trip some months
afo occasion IL demonstrated that she saled
swiftly and easily at the time; but her owner was
sail anxious prove that she was In every respect sea-
b,oad ocean as any frigate ever built; and this
OF the main objects OF the test she underwent on FRIDAY
and Saturday. At O'Clock Friday morning the dock
where the vessel lay at the foot Of Sxthst East River,
wis thronged with people who patiently stood in the
SLOW waiting the great ship float away the tide.
Tie number of invited guests on board few They
consisted principally of the Naval Commission, who
the Navy Department at Washington. The gentle
3; % G. G" Capt. GnR cS
| Of Ordinances Capt Harmony Chief Engineer
Mr.. W. ". Wood Chief Engineer Long, Chief Engineer
Fitian, Assistant Engineer Purse, Lieut.. Buckner,
Assistant Inspector Of Ordnance, and Mr. Brandt Chief
Clerk at the Ordnance Department at Washington These
gent emen most OF them stationed at tne hr10kyi navy
Yard represented the Interests OF the Navy department
Their names will alone De guarantee , INA Thst tnsS %ers
Commodore Pennock during the war are well remem-
be-ed; Capt. Mulhanncy lost arm while commanding
the steam fgate Oneida IN the terrible conflict OF Mobile
Bsy Capt. Harmony also commanded dterent vessels
with efficiency throughout the and the others have
afO rendered cOmmendable service. II Will require
LITTLE space to state the Object of me the Commirson
made "A contract with the Governments to build
Al iron-clad on the Monitor or =, turret, prin-
cpie for the OF ST. 10000. lie accordingly built tho
present vessel which has no trrets at cost OF hDo.t
$3.50 600. which the Government refused to accept
that of the contracted for. About thrceourths Of
tn contractmoney had been already advanced to Mr.
to sell the vessel TO the Government at cost price Second
10 refund the money advanced, with seven per cent
interest for IT'S use, and be permitted 10 dispose OF the
vessel O foreign pOwerhe agreeing thereafter to bulld
fcr The Government such vessel as was formerly con.
tacted for the contract price, In year Both ~
propositions have been either declined oyaded
md the object of the Commission the recent test was
render such report would render the Government
able iO determine one way or the other
I'm .pitc of the impatience of those board and
shore IL was not until that the DuRderbcrg began
slowly from her moorngs win the assistance Of
two tug boats she a length oated into the stream, and
dcd toward the bay amid the scclamaions Of the thou
sands who lined the ends Of the piers ON either shore
But the of the tugs soon dispensed with and by
her own powerful screw the immense structure twam
slowly throug the water Mr. John Roach, constructor
efficient pilot In Nj Callahan, aud ably commanded
by Capts BabcocE and Comstock The Officers on board
and IN charge Mcsrs. Etasius W smith, Construct
ing Engineer for Mr. Webb Thomas Wagner. Construct
ing Engineer for Messr.. John Roach 4 sons.
Ethan Rogers. and Edward Marslin, Assist
anl Engineer, in chargc Ihe cary portion ,
aud bat The sunlight brok" through the clouds in
and there abundant PROMISE. OF fnc weather "
imI"slbr Ia cross The bar at sandy Hook before
the structure steamed MP Nnrth River ~ far
the foot 81 Tenth IT, and then turned down stream The
marvellous with which the great ship obcys her helm
b. one Of the mos, gratifying results Of the
making complete halfcrcle in four minute, and half
equivalent To- dcscrbngan entire circle IA nine minutes
Standing upon her bread deck and watching the indca
Ions of the shorc you 80 her stern wheel etonnd With tae
Of yacht aud. almost before you expect n. she is
hhdlng in Just the opposite direction The YES e pre
coded down the harbor and then returned Arriving
opposite nycrnors Island she gave her rst salute. We
,., bencat t3e fret n l. 40 solid and firm Indeed N
foi ar fooa old seem, moc IKE that an Island than
~ But the rock like structure thrills for moment
al ungiy beneath the feet thorc heard du muffcd
and the next instant the iame ahd smoke gl~heS
fIn lac side one of tho great iiinchors speaks In
tuner to 'he shore Then after another, the other
guns olsy forth their burdens of smoke and sound
sr y vibrating the deck and the mighty fort floats on
With ,ardy rcin0r tell of the gigantic machinery
sht lmrcls u. While thus moving about the bay and
rVcI Portcrs had good opportunity 10 examine
thr I'll craft and there was mpch 10 engage the
atten Of every adnircr of The cnrlons and useful The
sPlrtrk n noble space You tread on whHt spP,ars
be std rn Aboye the two tall nnsts. with their
sails iried. aud the ant new rigging giving general
gob, ar Ia the whole structure. while you have the
mes that beneath you Is that grand iron sided
gundc with its mighty cannon aih DsN crew stand
ing at - bow you look over the lr0nidathg o me stem
aud far beyond II dcscry the slight ripple Of the water
where IN sharp. submerged outSater the razoredge OF
the ram paris th" element as the vessel gdss along
Looking the stern. you look over the Nat deck
grated oyehang which covers the shalt ana can discern
short diAance beyond the boiling disturbance OF the
thrir Wort l5ron,oon Foumtams OF spray and brine
also pnnl constantly through the stngs Of the over
hang, ~ vessel bumps upon the waves. The hardy
pilot hr post In the port boat. needless OF tho
storm u CAPTAIN gives his few orders In brief, de
appear move Ike clOckwork, and. duck-like, the
great ra outs the waves ~ you scan her
he best lnpr sion of the power OF the Dundor-
berg, one lus go below, and. standing at one ex-
trcInity y6y q grand gundeck This Is, Indeed. -
tower OF siup Six mighty guns stand silently wait
at the opo!Or Each has ts crew lounsing abont the
muzZle andbut "a little word OF command, few mo-
mrnts of UXetu required tO place them IN readiness
for their nilsson Of destruction The vacant ports are
also open the immense thickness Of the sides Of the
ship immediately strike one, upon looking through
the ship. A stray shell may enter "A pOrt-hOle
and explode hut otherwise IL appears impossible
that the se should De perforated Descending another
companion wy reach the engine deck, ana have an
opportunity witnessing the gigantic machinery where
by the entire Nst structure Is propelled and maneuyercd
The Dundrri,,g IL propelled by a single screw The en-
gnes " to back acting horizontal type ana are sup
piled with OydeT. 100 inches IN diameter with ~ inches
stroke Of psta Enormous is the machinery, IL seems
To work with o1eeng and precision Proceeding TO-
ward the rter1 and may o:.ser the long tunnel
shaped aparnnt containing the shan of the screw And
still further back, far into the tunnel, may !
De heard tia measured beating OF the great |
nukes Ia the water outside Descending Yet another
ladder and arrives at the firedccks where the rnr