The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1869-09-22
The Stevens Floating Battery.

Inc NCeYens floatlng Batt6fy.
During the year ls4O the defenceless
condition OF New York harbor attracted
the attention Of the citizens Of this city
and the country at large. The forts
which now loom up at the Narrows
were then but little calculated to resis,
the attack Of All encmy's feet, and had
a war then occitrred, this city, with it's
vast wealth, would have doubtless been
at the mercy Of great naval b,wcrs,
such as England and France. Forts
Richmond, Hamilton and lafayette
were then in their iiifarty. At this
time Mr.. Hdwih Stevens, a promnen,
and wealthy citizen Of Hoboken, con-
ccived the idea Of having built at his
own expense an iron.clad floating bat
terry. capable Of resisting the attack OF
an ordinary feet. With this object in
view he consulted some of the most ex
perienced and widely known engineers
in the country; and in the latter part of
the year ls40 tic Work Gin Tia ifiiarino
monster was Commenced. The keel
was laid at the present yards in Hobo
ken and sccresy was cnjoined upon The
engineers and workm"n not 10 diviilge
The object of their cmployiiieht. The
battery was at first intended to be only
$50 feet i'll length, with an iron plating e
OF one and halt inches in thickness ali
over the armament was to have been
composed of ten guns, FIVE on broad
side, each throwing solid shot Of 100
pounds, considered at that day to be
enormous,
The work progressed until the begin
ming OF the late war, bat only ten men
were engaged by the managers, and
they simply to keep watch and ward
over the unwieldy looking mass of iron
and wood. In 1862. however, the near
approach to the harbor OF the rebel
"Alabamas," and the miserable condi-
tion OF our wooden navy, lent new life
to the enterprise, and additional work
men were Immediately set to work on
the vessel, whi.'h, up to that time, had
involved on expense Of $4,000 to Mr..
Stevens. The work steadily progressed
under the old plans, but the naval bat
tie between the Monitor and Merlmac,
in Hampton Roads, brought about a
revolution in the construction Of iron
clads, and the plans were revised; the
iron sheeting was torn off and plates of
two and quarter inches in thickness
were substituted, and fifty feet added to
its length, and the battery which she
was at first intended to carry was de-
creased to FIVE guns instead of ten
they being OF the fifteen inch pattern
Numerous officers connected with the
havies Of England and France have in
vain applied for admittance, the original
programme being carried out to the let
ter.
Since the close Of the war the work
was again suspended, but General Nc
Clellan, while in Europe, was offered
the position of chief engineer IN its con.
struction by the heirs of Mr.. Stevens, at
4 slNary OF $4,000, which he accepted,
ahd hPoh takfng his position it was
deciaed' to- make several important alter.
htioAs. One hundred and eighty men
are at present employed at work, and
when completed, which will be during
the year 1871, the battery will be ono
5f the most formidable engines of naval
Warfare. aauat., Those who have visit
cd t1hs ;qoh' !tlads OF Ehgiaha,' RUSSIA
ahd otlisf European hatiohs, aud have
e{athhsa she plan Of tliis monster, st ate
THAT it, can' cope with case with IN entire
feet. : The. name Whitli'it is to bea,
Ny not. 5at Bsah' dtcilled! WHEN com.
plttea' IL viii bs &fmsrly presented te
the State Of New Jerssy.--Rdw Yorh
Herald.