The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-02-24


Sea + .iai Trip-speed of the Vessel Ordnance
Experiments-The Vessel Pronounced n Sac
cess by the G0vernment Commissioners.
A. n on on Fiiay the great steam ram frigate Dun
derberg left the pier at the foot Of Sixth street. East
river and proceeded her trial trip In Septsm-
Der last engineers trial trip made by this vessel
Gar the light ship for the purpose Of testing the
working OF her machinery simply but the one Of Friday
was In the open in order that the qualities Of the
frgae might be put to the test every respect The
trial 10 September fully evnced the fact that this huge
floating fortress Gor such indeed she is) could be
handily worked in tho smooth water Of the bay,
but whether she would prove equally satisfactory in
the pillows Of the wide ocean was a matter
concerning which many doubts were expressed and
many fears entertained These doubts, amor the OK.
pcrence now had. are fully dspelled. me Dunderberg
is as the HERALD readers paware thoroughly plated
with iron Of four and half inches in thickness and
IN addition TO being rst class frgae, is also Of
war vessel now afoat and longer than any craft ex
cept the Great Eastern.
DESCRIPTION OF THE VESSEL.
In order that readers form an ADEQUATE idea
.ol the power strength capacity and weight Of this
sci, the following figures are subjoued: Extreme
length three hundred and feet four inches
extreme BEAM seventy feet ten inches depth Of main
hold twenyo feet seven inches; height or casemate
seven feet nine inches; length Of ram, fifty feet;
tonnage, ave thousand and ninety tons; weight OF
IRON armor, one thousand tons This immense frgate
tuOuBdu0 6uHlueb
arc two in number each Of the following capacity =
cylinders ltwo each 100 nches stroke OF piston, 45
Inches The diameter Of her propeller p feet and it's
weight "a $50 pounds She has capacity In her coal
bunkcrs for carrying 900 tons Of coal and her actual
horse power is 50o0-nominally 1900 horse Taking
this huge naval monster at glance she presents to
the eye the appearance OF large fertilization set aoa
upon enormous vessel and yet, symmctricaIy Is
he formed that the angular her casemste pre-
indication OF unganliness whatever 0rrlnaly
Cor patch WIN W. TQylns iarfsss; but, after due
William Webb her designer and builder, to construct
6sr according to the plan he had suggested and which
has been thoroughly carried out
An immense concoarse OF people assembled on the
pier from which she sailed on Friday, and hundreds
were the wishes expressed that she would prove to be
efficient her builder claimed her be- both with
regard to speed easy handling and safety OF carriage
few invited guests including representatives Of the
press made the trip in her and besides these there
the following officers Of the United States navy.-Cap-
tain M Pennocs, Captain J. r. NJ. Mulhaney, Lieu
tenant Commander David Harmony, Captain W. ". W.
Taons chief engineers John II. Long and W. X. Purse.
assistant engineers; Commander Edwin Fithan Captain
Bryndt Of the Ordnance Bureau. Washington, and
Lieutenant Bucknsr, ordnance officer at the Brooklyn
s Nany Ysa IS Ss s d e
vestigate the eapablliy and sca-gong qualities Of
nicer for Mr. Webb and Mr.. Thomas Main Constructive
engineer for Messr Jno Roach Son. of the Etna Iron
Works where her machinery was made, and Mr. Webb
Dlndcserg is pierced for guns but only six
arc In the casemae as yet Two Of these Of ftoen.
ioch and four of eeveninch cabre all of the Rodman
patent After leaving the pier at Sixth the rgate
sailed down past the Battery and up the North river
Tar as opposite Hoboken, when she turned and stood
down tho bay. When opposite Fort Diamond the pow
Der boat Rocket belonging TO the United States Navy
drew up alongside and placed board number OF
kefs OF powder to be used in exercising the guns
Tho Sandy Hook lightshp reached about dusk and
passing IT. the Dunderber stood boldly out for tho open
trial her ws oe
arg the ocean, larger steam power being put
upon the engines and she sped along for some
time at the rate Of eleven knots hour Tho
were then "sowed, and the speed sackened to eight
and halt knots which average she easily maintained
necessary On the ocean wave she rode like bird her
rol being very slight and her DIP Notwithstanding her
Er~t weight less than any board had reason to
wc she rode The soa that she was vs. dcish aa
h-0yant as well a. immensely strong. When making
eSry-sx per minute; and a. times she made
xeyoIutions when carrying only ten pounds OF steam
Her consumption Of coal forty-hve in twenty
hours or about two and quarter tons per hour Her
machinery It must DO recolccted, is a. yet new and
unused When she has been three months in use,
capable Judges asserted she would make sixty revolutions
Dor minute. The crew by which she was manned
not picked but taken pronscuously Just previous
1he start, and but few Of them were active seamen
When she shall be regularly put into commission, and
shall have he benefit Of regular Of marine her
performance will exceed even that Of this trial trip.
One noticeable feature In this vessel and much
commented by the nautical guests, among whom
Captains Comstock and Babcock the with
Wno0 00o 0O0ye0 every mOtlon Of ner nelm harly In
che morning yesterday hOr facility In this respect
put 70 the test and she made two complete circles,
each within . space OF half mile in eleven minutes
An old captain among the Rues ON witnessing this
display Of her qualities remarked that she turned
oasiv - my eound steamer and took les space In
UhioE TO do II than many vessels mot more
chan thrse feuSths her length. In fact be- ssady
ubodieace - her hahn was matter Of general COM
0euS daring Ne txa
CUE FRACTION
!! Tue ordnance pracscs when the ocsan yesterday
nogningj feature which told excellentiy well for
ahis enormous ironclad The euns were manned, and
ve rounds Of shot and shell fired nom each The CON-
cuaon inside the casemaae very slight even when
che big 16nch pieces were fred and the jar following
each report hardly perceptibie in any part Of the
vessel 9 would hight those guns, said an old naval
ofAser board at any time when the sea will allow
Gle ports Be opened" In the ward room where most
o( the invited guests seated when the first gun 70
16-inch nred. the report was apparently 30 slight
that for . time 1t would not bo believed that
pieoe had been discharged at all. The shot
aud shell from these guns bounding over
che blue waves and throwing up whenever they struck
1he surface immense fountain like masses Of water pre-
cont. grand sight aud must have created some
mark board the craft which could be seen here and
there dotting the horizon, and which tho report Of
che firing must have been distinctly heard The ord
nance gave every satisfaction TO tho naval officers
who loud In their praises Of the admirable manner
10 when the conducted hefsef while IL being
urcoeeied with. After further testing the frigaies
speed at sea homewsrd course was taken, and the
Dunderborg sailed msjescaly into the harbor at I'VE
r A. yesterday. anchorng In the North river opposite