The New York herald., 1867-04-04
FRA \ cs.



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SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF TUE HERALD.
Iusportant nIevsmsass. .-Extraerdinary Naval
PropnratIous-Six Vessels In Process OF Gen.
struction-The Irouclad Cuicnne-The TiGrc
aud the Plongeur-Activity In other NavS
| Yards-SInking Ships by Photography-The
New Port Of Rechcfsrt. &c.
RoCuEroxT, March 20. 1887.
came down from La Rochelle yesterday for tho pur.
pose Of learning something OF tho extraordinary naval
preparations which Napoleon Is undoubtedly making
with some object and have to-day boon over the entire
navy yard and have seen tho vessels which arc now
| rapidly approaching completion.
Six vessels Of different sizes and descriptions are on
| the stocks here Foremost among them Is an ironclad
friga,e called the Guenne which is expected will be
launched in August next and which will be one OF the
most formidable vessels In the French navy She Is OF
five thousand burhcn, With an engine OF thousand
horse power, and Is pierced for 6y-sx guns, among
which will be fourteen three hundred pound guns,
ryipg cylindrical and conica shot and shell. She Is
built with sharp stern. thus greatly diminishing the
chances of successful "nre in the rear. ]" OF the
successful 'punchng OF the spur from ram. She is
covered with plate OF fifteen centimetres in thick
ness below and twelve cenmetrcs above the water line
(The centimetrc is little more than onethrd Of an
inch, and is expressed by the decimal 394.D
The experiment Is to be tried Of sheathing these
plates with "copper" order to prevent their oxydza-
tion Besides her broasde guns she pierced for
immense bow guns, directly under the bowsprit,
and the commandments cabin. which is away aft.
is so arranged that the side and stern windows
may be easily taken out and five more guns put in.
un deck and amdshps is what the engineers, adopting
the English word, call "bockhouse" which IRON
clad tower not intended for guns but simply look
out for the commander OF the ship during action. It
and shot proof to within about six inches Of
the top which is Of gass, through which the command
ing officer watch the action, and inside teegraphc
apparatus communicating with all the posts in the ship
is to be placed through which he win give his orders
The Guienne Is expected to DO able to make her ten
knots hour and It said that when she Is launched
the Emperor will come down here to SOC her off,
Near the Guenne upon the stocks and In an advanced
state transport intended expressly for the convey
ancs Of two thousand horses This will DO completed
about the 1st Of November
Beyond her is In course Of construction the Tgre
vessel built very much upon the model Of the Stone.
wall, with formidable spur and twin working
independently Of each othe and enabling her TO turn
with great rapdity and and making her valuable
for defence ~ for attack Then there iron clad
corvettes with towers and berbette guns. and wooden
ftgaae and corvette building. 0roat activity prevails
in the yard and 10 understood that all these vessels
arc be completed and launched before next March;
aud that three other vessels Of the character
Of tho Tgrc being built 1t other navy yards In
France-the B6er at Chcrbourg. the Ccrbere at Bres
and the Boule Dogue at Lorient while as Cherbouu,
besides tho B6lier six other vessels, all OF which
arc to finished In the course OF the present
year. arc in progrcss OF construction. These
the Volta . despatch boat, to be completed In
August and tho Jeanne Arc, ironclad frgate which
will be launched in September and the Estrees another
which will be readv for In June Two iron clad
ships the Suren and Atalante being hurried and
fast sailing corvette tho Clocheteris commenced
about month since.
There has recently been completed 10 this navy yard
another vessel which, although she has been launched
and is ready for work when occasion requires is
kept carefully housed and removed from the vulgar
gaze. She is experimental nondoscrpt craft called
the Piongeur, built am informed. something after the
model Of the winans scgar boat and Is intended for
submarine work. is said that model Of the boat will
be placed in the Grand Exposition in which shall
| send you a description OF II.
Rochcfort wisely selected thu naval station at
which all these vessels to be built. II is out
or the way quiet place. where few foreigners and fewer
natives ever come and II not for occasional
newspaper correspondent looking around for someth
extraordinary making his way here. the government
might go building ships to the end OF time without
anything being known ABOUT H. ADMISSION 10 the navy
yard is very difficult be osts acd and II only by
great cxertion and the exhibition OF fair share OF the
oplo5, SO necessary newspaper man. that was per
| mitted TO enter H.
am informed that when the Emperor comes down
here during the coming summer some very interesting
experiments 20 bc made In new system for the
lection OF harbors aud IN which the ordinary camera
obscura employed by photographers Ia TO play
an important part. As L. understand II, tho
plan to be employed here Is this Opposite the mouth
or the Chacntc the river upon which the port Of Roche
fort is made Is little island called tho Isle dAix Upon
this the is TO be placed and brought TO beaI
upon spot upon the water where torpedo is placed
vessel In sailing tins spot would be instantanc
ousy exhibited In the camera, and at this moment by
means OF galvanc wire. the torpedo TO be exploded
or course practice there would DO several torpcdoes
with camera brought to bear upon each one Of thcm
Besides the work in tho Navy Yard here the govern
ment is engaged the construction Of an ontre new
port, which Is being followed out away inland, beyond
the town. adjoining the railway station, and where ships
can be entirely concealed from view the water side
This tremendous work Is being rapidly pushed forward